Sunday, July 4, 2010

2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive what is due them for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Questions to consider:
  • Describe how what is rooted in time is affects what is eternal.
  • What objective or truth about life has completely grasped Paul and affected his attitudes and actions?
  • What will you do to be of good courage today?
Possibilities for prayer:

Paul challenges us to look at things with an eternal perspective--while life here on earth may become incredibly challenging, we should cling to the knowledge that we are not ruled by the here and now because we have eternity ahead of us; an eternity that is good because it comes from God. Of course, practically, always having an “eternal mindset,” particularly in the midst of the often frequent storms of this life, can be quite difficult. So let’s pray into that. Ask God for a reorientation in the way you view everyday occurrences, to see them with “eternal” eyes rather than ones focused only on what is in front of you. And let’s ask God to give us an understanding of how insignificant our earthly troubles are when considered in the grand scheme of eternity.