E = MC2

I think we are all familiar with this famous equation. It appears pretty simple, but the ideas that resulted from this simple concept were the seeds of what became the incredible power in nuclear bombs and nuclear power.

In a similar way, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1 about the simple, and what the world considers “foolish” plan, of salvation through Jesus Christ, but that is the most powerful and amazing expression of God toward people.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:23-25, “So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense, But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.”

Dear Lord the magnitude of your simple plan, saving us for eternity by accepting what you did through Jesus Christ, dwarfs any discovery we, as people, can make. Help us appreciate the simplicity and the power of this for ourselves and share it with others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Paul writes, a familiar text, in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” The NLT version puts it, “For we live by believing and not by seeing.”

In the context of his letter, Paul is discussing the promise of a new life in heaven after death; That we live with the faith in this promise.

However, I think he may also be stating a fact of life. We live by faith in our daily lives. When we wake, we turn on the water with faith that it will run. We turn the key on our car with faith it will start. We send an email, text, or make a phone call, with faith that it will connect with someone. We get on airplanes and boats, believing in the physics that they employ. We count on “seeing” these things happen because we first believed they would. We all live by faith, whether Christian or not.

As Christians we have additional beliefs that we count on “seeing” just the same. We pray with faith, counting on God’s answer. We attend worship with faith that it will renew our spirit. We make commitments to serve, witness, and contribute with faith that God will provide and protect. Most importantly, we have faith and believe first, that we will have eternal life, and we are counting on “seeing” this when our life on earth is over.

Dear Lord how common it is for people to think “I’ll believe it when I see it,” but they have things backward. Life now and eternal life is actually, “you’ll see it when you believe it.” Give us the strength to believe first so we will see your promises fulfilled. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 37:4 writes, “Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Question is, “Does this mean He will give you the things you want, or does it mean He will give you the desire to want what He wants?”

I used to think about this text very simply, but now I believe the meaning is deeper, that when we delight in the our Lord, our desires change. We begin to desire things that fit with the wonderful life He wants for us, and he blesses us with those things giving us joy and Him glory.

Dear Lord, you promise us an abundant life if we follow the path you have for us. Help us delight in you so that the things we truly desire in our hearts are those things that you want for us. What joy it is to have our desires matched with your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, “But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.”

Jesus told us in John 14:19, “Because I live, you will live also.”

He is risen indeed.

As the hymn says, “Oh what sweet joy this sentence gives, I know that my Redeemer lives.”

Dear Lord, Your sacrifice was the price for our sin, and your resurrection is our victory over death. Oh what joy this brings! Amen.

In Paul’s opening to his letter to the Philippians 1:3-4, he writes, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy.”

What joy to have friends like this. I hope, like me, you do. Friends you have known since childhood, and friends you may have met recently, who teach you, inspire you, bring you joy, challenge you to be better, bring you closer to Jesus, and who need you to help them get closer to Jesus.

What a beautiful work the Lord does to bring us these friends.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the friends you have given us. Help us strengthen them and grow in faith with them. To your glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.