Dying and Yet We Live On!

1As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you."I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. 3We put no stumbling block in any one's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 2 Corinthians 6:1-10

A few days ago the beginning of my devotional had the highlighted verse at the top of the page. I read it and just those six words spoke volumes to my aching heart. Dying and yet we live on...it says so much in so few words. It reminds me that God is not circumstantial. He is. That is it. He is. In the good, in the bad and all of the in between. My heart aches daily but knowing God is always near brings peace to my soul. We are all dying, our bodies are dying but in Christ we will live on and that is the most amazing hope. The hope of eternal life! Now is the time of God's favor, NOW is the time of salvation! NOW! Even in all of this. Even in our deepest hurt, even as we sit in the wilderness waiting for a bush to catch fire. The time is NOW! He is here and he is working! I guess the question is : Are we paying attention? That is what we are learning in the He Speaks to Me Study, to position ourselves to hear from God and see Him each day. I am SO excited about this study. The daily homework has been so good for me. It is amazing what immersing yourself in the Truth will do!

This was how the devotion ended

Measure your life by loss and not by gain,
Not by the wine drunk but by the wine poured forth.
For love's strength is found in love's sacrifice,
And he who suffers most has most to give.

WOW! Right?