Scripture:
Vs 2 … Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Vs 4 … by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; … ; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
Vs 16 … For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them …”
Observation:
Paul emphasizes to the Corinthians that because they are living in the time of Christ, it is a blessing and privileged time.
Paul says, “now is the favorable time”.
It is favorable because now is the time of “salvation”.
Paul then goes on to list a steady flow of descriptions that sound very unfavorable … in fact, miserable!
“afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger”!
How can all of these things be a “favorable time”?
Because He has something that is much greater and beyond his circumstances …
He has “the Holy Spirit” and “the power of God”!
This gives Paul “great endurance”.
These allow him to experience unfavorable circumstances with “purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, and genuine love”.
Paul has all these traits because God “dwells” with him and “walks” with him.
For Paul there is nothing more favorable than the presence of God!
Application:
What do I genuinely and routinely care more about? My circumstantial experience or my spiritual experience?
Do I consider a day “favorable” or “unfavorable” based on the same standards of the world?
What do I consider a “favorable” day at work? A day where I got a lot of new clients? Or a day when I experienced the “genuine love” of the One True God?
I happen to live in the greatest region of the greatest country in the greatest era in history.
And I do consider this a grace and blessing of God.
But what makes my days “favorable” is that it is the “day of salvation” and I have the presence of God regardless of my situation or circumstances!
I am “true” because I know the Truth.
I am “well known” because God dwells in me.
I “live” because He is the Life.
I can “always rejoice” because He restores the joy of salvation.
I can “have nothing, yet possess everything” because I have Christ!
The world looks for the tangible to determine what is favorable.
I must look to the “power of God”. He dwells with me! I am part of His temple!
The world, even many Christians, look for things “from God”, rather than God, Himself.
I must desire His presence more than His presents!
Prayer:
Thank you, God for your presence,
Thank you for your salvation
Thank you that I can have great endurance
Because of your great power
Help me Holy Spirit to have genuine love
In Jesus name,
Amen