PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 A hard life... for you

Time to reflect: This is a part of a passage where Paul is defending his ministry. One of the questions, spoken or unspoken, that he feels he has to address is why he is willing to take the abuse he takes. Some doubt his motives, others are turned off by the harshness of his supposed “victorious” life in Christ. His argument in verse 7 is that he is human and therefore is easily harmed, the argument in 8&9 is that he is able to endure, so what is the problem, and the argumenet in 10-11 is that like Jesus he must suffer, but, like Jesus, in the end will be victorious.

Moving through the day:We all have times when we feel sorry for ourselves and feel afflicted, perplexed, persecuted and struck down. Think about such a time and what got you through it. Think about Paul's “its for your sake” (4:15) attitude.

2 Corinthians 4:7-11

7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. 8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. 11For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.