Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 5:1-11:16
Does it seem to you like it does to me – December 1st is like rounding the final corner and stretch in a marathon! Keep on reading and you will have the wonderful feeling of finishing the year of reading the Bible! But today’s reading is indeed a marathon reading!
In quietly reading and thinking about the first section, the easy part is understanding that we belong to a holy God! However it’s painful to realize that we as children of God still have the capability of drifting into sin which sometimes even the world is not guilty of! And the six categories of people that Christians should have nothing to do with? First of all they are Christians! And second of all, thinking carefully about these categories, I have the uneasy feeling that I could very well be presently slipping into these worldly ways of thinking and habits! But the category of immorality seems to be a particularly serious thing – a sin against oneself! And I reflect quietly whether I see my body as God sees it – a temple of the Holy Spirit! And what are my eyes looking at! I guess that’s why I can’t cope with T.V. (although I understand maybe others can!)
And if these serious sins are found in the church, we should be able to deal with them in love and faithfulness! So do we?
How beautifully and completely are our relationships with others, especially husband/wife relationship dealt with! Love and long suffering and self-control bring a beauty to marriage and blessing, even under the most difficult situations. And Paul passes on to the characteristic of complete devotion to our Saviour and what comes most hard for single or widow/widowers – contentment to be fruitful just in what He has called us to for Him! But Paul, although pointing out the advantages of singleness, leaves the freedom for each person to be what God has called them to!
What beauty, it seems to me, for a person to be free before the Lord, and yet in loving consideration for the feelings and exercises of others to curb one’s own freedom lest some one else who doesn’t have the freedom (weaker!) be stumbled! Yet Paul’s devotion and dedication to His Lord and Saviour (the One Whom at first he persecuted!) was to the point where he ran in life so as to win, not like a man beating the air aimlessly! The question surfaces in my mind “So, do you, Rob?”
Lots of arguments about head coverings and what that means or is relevant. But man and woman have their roles and responsibilities before our Lord. And Paul (actually it is the Lord Himself) makes sure to point out that IN THE LORD, we are not independent of one another but free to function in the role in which HE has placed us!
Hopefully, as I quietly combed through today’s reading, I have allowed the Holy Spirit to point out the areas in which I personally need to take heed to and hopefully I rejoice in the knowledge that He loves me so completely, that He is concerned that I am able to become each day more like the person He wants me to be! Hopefully today, I have stayed in the loving care of my precious Lord and under the shadow of His wings!