Tag Archives: 1Corinthians

1 Corinthians 15, Psalms 106

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Paul gives us hope and encouragement of the future that lies before us, in stark contrast to the apathy and darkness of this world.  “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”.

Paul encourages us to “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”  The hope that we have is not a vain hope, but a reality that is only separated from us by time.  “We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet…the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”

So let’s “give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever”.

1 Corinthians 12-13, Psalms 104

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We’re all part of the same body, different skills and purposes, but designed so that “the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”  We all need each other, if we’re going to effectively imitate Jesus.

The Psalms remind us of the complexity and majesty of God’s creation, and how reliant every living thing is on the continued care of God, “when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.”

We have been created, both individually and as a community, to serve God.  It is up to us to have the same attitude as the Psalmist when he wrote “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord.”

 

Psalms 103, 1 Corinthians 11

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The Psalmist gives us a number of reasons to praise God. “Forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit.” Later, “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him.”

God’s love is demonstrated in His willingness to forgive us.  His ways are so far above ours, yet He is willing to show love to those that respond to Him.  It is a steadfast love, dependable and enduring, unlike man whose “days are like grass”.

We are reminded of that love weekly, when we remember the sacrifice of Jesus through the bread and the wine. Jesus’ love in giving his life is a perfect embodiment of God’s love for us.  So let us “forget not all his benefits”, and praise God for the interest He shows in our lives.

Exodus 39-40, Psalms 102, 1 Corinthians 10

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In Exodus, the construction of the Tabernacle has just completed, and a cloud covers the tabernacle, with the glory of God filling the tabernacle, so much so that Moses was unable to enter it.  “The cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.”

The Israelites enjoyed a very visible demonstration that God was with them.  Paul refers to that presence “our fathers were all under the cloud…nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased… these things took place as examples for us.”

We don’t have a pillar of fire or cloud in our lives to show us that God is with us, but we do have assurances that God is with us.  “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

We all fail at various points, giving in to the desires of temptation. But even in the dispair and regret that surely follows such an event, we can be comforted in the knowledge that God has provided us with a way of escaping such temptation.  I pray that we all will have the strength to choose that escape option next time we are tempted, rather than giving in.

“Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry come to you! Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call!”

Psalms 90-91, 1 Corinthians 3

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Psalm 90 was written by Moses. He reminds the reader about the eternal existence of God, and contrasts that with the brevity of human life. He also writes “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.”

It’s an interesting idea, relating to an earlier statement that humans are “like grass that is renewed in the morning”. Only regular interaction with God can renew us, give us something to rejoice about.

The idea of God being involved in our growth and continual existence is also referred to by Paul, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” A life that involves God is a satisfying one, involving regular renewal and growth. By contrast, mankind of itself is “like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.”