Read 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

Read 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

6  In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have received God’s grace not to let it be wasted. ²Hear what God says:

“When the time came for me to show you favour

I heard you;

when the day arrived for me to save you,

I helped you.”

Listen! This is the hour to receive God’s favour; today is the day to be saved!

3 We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so we try not to put obstacles in anyone’s way. ⁴Instead, in everything we do we show that we are God’s servants by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and difficulties. ⁵We have been beaten, imprisoned, and mobbed; we have been overworked and have gone without sleep or food. ⁶By our purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness we have shown ourselves to be God’s servants—by the Holy Spirit, by our true love, ⁷by our message of truth, and by the power of God. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves. ⁸We are honoured and disgraced; we are insulted and praised. We are treated as liars, yet we speak the truth; ⁹as unknown, yet we are known by all; as though we were dead, but, as you see, we live on. Although punished, we are not killed; ¹⁰although saddened, we are always glad; we seem poor, but we make many people rich; we seem to have nothing, yet we really possess everything.

11 Dear friends in Corinth! We have spoken frankly to you; we have opened our hearts wide. ¹²It is not we who have closed our hearts to you; it is you who have closed your hearts to us. ¹³I speak now as though you were my children: show us the same feelings that we have for you. Open your hearts wide!

Think

Paul challenges us 'not to waste God's grace' (verse 1).  We have the incredible privilege of knowing God's power that can work in us and transform us.

Pray

Lord, let me open my heart to your power at work in me.