25 Sep October 20th Daily Devotional

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

 LIFE

2 Corinthians 4:11-12 “For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.”

A bit of Greek is needed to understand today’s devotional verses.  There are two words in Greek that are both translated with the English word “life.”  The first is found in John 10:17 where Jesus said, “I lay down my life—only to take it up again.”  This life, of course, refers to His physical life.  The second Greek word for life is found in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. . .”  Here Jesus is referring to eternal, everlasting life.

In today’s devotional verses Paul first refers to the fact that he knows that he will become martyred.  His physical life will end.  (John 10:17)  Facing physical death is a certainty in his mind but He is ready to die for the sake of the Corinthians that they might receive everlasting life (John 14:6)

When Jesus said He “laid down His life for His sheep” (John 10:15) He was speaking about His sacrificial death, the death of His physical body, on Calvary’s cross.  He did this to become the source of all spiritual life (John 14:6), life eternal.

While physical death is inevitable, sooner or later your earthly body will be laid in a grave or turned to dust through cremation, the “life of Jesus” which you have received through your baptism and the power of the Gospel has a grander goal.  Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26) Your physical  body, like a clay pot, will end but your spiritual, eternal life will never end.

This life of John 11 is the treasure God has put into your earthly body so that even though it will eventually die and decay, this treasure “will not be crushed . . . or destroyed”  (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)  Every day your earthly body carries with it this eternal treasure of which Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

Prayer:  Jesus, You are the only way for me to receive the gift of eternal life.  Grant it to me for Your sake.  Amen.

Thine forever, God of love! Hear us from Thy throne above;

Thine forever may we be Here and in eternity!

Thine forever! Oh, how blest They who find in Thee their rest!

Savior, guardian, heav’nly friend, O defend us to the end!

Thine forever, Lord of Life! Shield us through our earthly strife.

Thou, the life, the truth, the way, Guide us to the realms of day.

Thine forever! Shepherd, keep These Thy frail and trembling sheep;

Safe alone beneath Thy care, Let us all Thy goodness share.

Thine forever! Thou our guide, All our wants by Thee supplied,

All our sins by Thee forgiv’n; Lead us, Lord, from earth to heav’n.

(LSB 687)