By the Power of God
In today’s scripture text, if you hadn’t already guessed, Paul is in a tizzy. He and those ministering with him are literally begging his readers, which now includes us, to put aside what does not matter and focus on the only thing that does matter: being reconciled (brought together again) with God…
because God, through Jesus, has already accomplished what needed to be done—
Jesus, through whom creation came into being (!) became human (“made him to be sin who knew no sin,” 5:21a) and was obedient to the point of death on a cross that we might live the life God intends, with God;
because we no longer have to wait for the healing of our relationship with God—
we get to live our lives now in response to God’s hard-won grace: “See now is the acceptable time; see now is the day of salvation!” (v. 6:2b);
because why else, if not by the power of God, would Paul and company be able to endure so much while demonstrating such truthful speech with genuine love?
And how else could it be that they’re considered, by all worldly standards, as failures: unknown, dying, punished, sorrowful, poor; and yet the opposite is actually true: they’re well known (by God), alive (in Christ), always rejoicing, they make many rich (in the good news), and possess everything (that truly matters)!
Just before this scripture passage, Paul has reminded his audience that they’ve (we’ve) been entrusted with the message of reconciliation between God and the world (v. 5:19) and “so we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making [God’s] appeal through us” (v. 20a). This is why he’s beside himself to convince the Corinthians (and us) of what truly matters.
So then how do we today share the good news of what God is up to in Jesus? I’ve been intrigued by discussions with our son, Jameson, about how he tries to share the good news with some of his online friends. He tells us that he absolutely can’t mention God, at least at the beginning of those conversations, or what he’s trying to communicate will be immediately dismissed. So, because he thinks very logically (as do many of his friends), he tries to start with the obvious need in our time and place for a moral framework, and then attempts to work backwards from there.
Too often, I find myself paralyzed in my duties as a messenger on behalf of God, too focused on what the reaction of the other might be—or, more honestly, perhaps I’m too concerned about protecting myself rather than about sharing the good news with others! I also try to rely too much on my own wits rather than on God’s ability to equip me for what God calls us to do.
This all raises a number of important questions for you and I and us together to ponder:
How are we living by the hard-won grace of God?
Are we putting any obstacle(s) in the way of others accepting their reconcilement with God?
Are we relying on the power of God?
Taking the time to wrestle with these questions can help because we’re not only called to accept the good news of what God has done, is doing, and will do but also, in these challenging times, to share that good news with others that they too “might become the righteousness of God” (5:21b) and share in the life abundant that God intends—where we are well known (by God), alive (in Christ), always rejoicing, making many rich (in the good news), and possessing everything (that truly matters)!
What a blessing that we have all of the season of Lent to reflect on and practice what God is calling us to as disciples of Jesus, the Christ!
Prayer: Lessen our desire for what the world considers important and increase our desire for what truly matters: life with You. Help us to rely on Your power—which can accomplish so much more than we can ask or imagine—to live in the good news of Your reconciling love and to share that good news with others in ways they can hear. Amen
~ Janice Love