58With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort. (The Message)
Yesterday we pondered the impact the resurrection has upon our faith and life. Today we see that for Paul the resurrection was not just an important part of his faith in Jesus but it was also what allowed him to do what he did without fear. Because Paul trusted in the resurrection of Jesus and the reality of his own being raised with Jesus he was able to throw himself into the work of Jesus with everything he had. It is that same intensity that Paul invites us to consider as well. Elsewhere Paul says that if he lives it is good if he dies it is good. When you can have that kind of an attitude nothing is to difficult or scary because there is really nothing to lose. While I know that I'm not where Paul was at yet I do hope that I'm getting closer to his attitude.
Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:
- In what areas do you think the Corinthians needed to be encouraged to stand their ground?
- Why do you think death is so scary for most people?
- What keeps you from throwing yourself completely into the work Jesus has for you?
- Where could you use a little less fear in your life right now?
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