“It is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come…” (2Cor.1:21-22)
Gracious Father, on a daily basis, you call us to see from your perspective, reason by your Word, and rest in the hope of the Gospel. To wit, how can we possibly remain praise-less, peace-less, and joy-less in response to what you are telling us in these two verses? In a bad news world, only the good news of Jesus has the right to interpret everything and narrate our lives.
Thank you that these things are more true and defining than anything else: You bought us with the currency of grace, sealed us as your own, and will keep us standing all the way Home. Every day, your Spirit tells of our belovedness, and is the foretaste and guarantee of our glorious future. Nothing should inform, enflame, and transform our lives more than the Gospel. But that’s a choice we have to make, sometimes on an hourly basis.
You told us life between Jesus’ resurrection and return will marked by “inward groaning and eager waiting”—like a woman in childbirth, feeling both exasperation and anticipation (Rom.8:23. And you have told us when things feel most hopeless and hard in our world, not to cower and reach for our “blankie,” but to “stand up and lift up your heads, because our redemption is drawing near” (Lk.21:28). This is true for every generation of your children, not just those alive 90 minutes before Jesus comes back.
Furthermore, you have told us to encourage one another with this hope and to work for each other’s joy—not fear (1Thess.4:18; 2Cor.1:24). Thank you, Abba, I (we) needed this word today. So Very Amen.
