24 Aug September 28 Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

RELY ON GOD

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.^”

People have a variety of ways to deal with difficult, challenging issues that arise in their life.  St. Paul refers to the fact that he was undergoing such a time in his life.  He wrote to the Corinthians that he was “under great pressure, far beyond (his) ability to endure, so that (he) despaired of life itself.” (2 Corinthians 1:8) Humanly speaking, he saw no way he was going to overcome the difficulties he was experiencing.

Think about a similar time in your life where the mountain ahead looked too tall to reach the summit, its rock faces were too vertical and smooth to get toe holds, the fierce winds in its upper levels were too severe so you saw no way to get to the top.  Of course, St. Paul is not writing about mountain climbing.  This is simply a metaphor representing those difficult, challenging periods in life that seem to have no answers yet have to be dealt with.

St. Paul, upon reflection, wrote, “. . . this happened that (he) might not rely on (himself) but on God.”  The Greek word used is translated with the word “rely” in verse 9.  It means, “to believe in something or someone to the extent of placing reliance or trust in or on—‘to rely on, to trust in, to depend on, to have (complete) confidence in . . .” (Greek-English lexicon – Louw-Nida) He then states that at that moment his faith took over giving him complete confidence in God.

The Holy Scriptures encourage you to “. . . trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)  Why trust God?  God Himself answers through the pen of Isaiah, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”  (Isaiah 55:8-9) How foolish it would be for you to put your trust in your finite knowledge and power when God knows all things and He knows everything there is to know about you and what is happening in your life.  (Read Psalm 139) And of course, “with Him all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

Indeed, when you face one of those difficult situations in your life that you cannot find solutions, reach decisions, come up with a plan, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

Prayer:  Guide me, Oh Great Jehovah, especially during those times in my life when I have great difficulty knowing what is right and wrong or good and bad.  Grant me an extra measure of faith by which to trust you no matter what.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Oh, that the Lord would guide my ways To keep His statutes still!

Oh, that my God would grant me grace To know and do His will!

Order my footsteps by Thy Word And make my heart sincere;

Let sin have no dominion Lord, But keep my conscience clear.

Assist my soul, too apt to stray, A stricter watch to keep;

And should I e’er forget Thy way, Restore Thy wand’ring sheep.

Make me to Walk in Thy commands— “Tis a delightful road—

Nor let my head or heart or hands Offend against my God.

(LSB 707)