Focus
Slow your breathing and become aware of the taking in and letting out of your breath. Focus on putting things aside so you will be open to what God is saying to you today.
Read
2 Corinthians 12:11-21
11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it. Indeed you should have been the ones commending me, for I am not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. 12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, signs and wonders and mighty works. 13 How have you been worse off than the other churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!
14 Here I am, ready to come to you this third time. And I will not be a burden, because I do not want what is yours but you; for children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 Let it be assumed that I did not burden you. Nevertheless (you say) since I was crafty, I took you in by deceit. 17 Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves with the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?
19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? We are speaking in Christ before God. Everything we do, beloved, is for the sake of building you up. 20 For I fear that when I come, I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish; I fear that there may perhaps be quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. 21 I fear that when I come again, my God may humble me before you, and that I may have to mourn over many who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practiced.
Reflect
Back in May, our 7 cat family increased to 12. A stray cat showed up at our house and after attempts to find out if anyone in the neighborhood was missing a cat or knew anything about this cat, I took her to our vet to get her a checkup. I also asked them about getting her spayed, but we discovered it was too late. We named her Gidget and set her up on our screened in deck to offer her a safe place to have her kittens. On May 20, she gave birth to 4 kittens. Throughout this summer, we have been blessed to watch them grow and watch Gidget take care of them. She will make sounds and meow at them to call to them. She would lick them to give them baths when they were next to her. She taught them how to eat kibble from a dish, how to drink water from a bowl, how to play with kitty toys, and even how to use the litter box. It is safe to say that Gidget wants the best for her kittens.
As a father, I want what is best for my son too. As a husband, I want what is best for my wife. As a church campground director, I want what is best for our presbytery’s camps. As a minister, I want what is best for the congregation I serve, and our denomination as well. Paul wanted what was best for the Corinthian Church, even though he worried that he may not find them at their best.
We are human and while we might wish for the best for our family and friends, we will be disappointed at times. The question is will we give up and write them off, or will we continue to encourage them in the hopes of bringing out the best in others, while discovering they may be bringing out the best in us also.
Pray
God, we thank you for always giving us your best and for having our best interests in mind, even when we do not know what our best interests are. Help us to always care enough to bring out the best in others. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Go with God!
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