Day 216

2 Chronicles 35:1–36:23; 1 Corinthians 1:1-17; Psalm 27:1-6; Proverbs 20:20-21

TODAY, WE BEGAN the apostle Paul’s first epistle, or letter, to the church at Corinth.

In Paul’s time, Corinth was a cosmopolitan city that had become a hot spot —a destination place in the Roman Empire and a hub of trade and commerce. It was the fourth-largest city in the entire Roman Empire and had become a melting pot of spiritual ideas, idolatry, sexual experimentation, and everything else that comes with a large secularized society.

First Corinthians was written as Paul’s response to some of the things he’d heard were happening in the church there. His central theme was unity, and his words are no less poignant now than they were then. We find some of the most quoted portions of the New Testament in this letter —things like “through a glass, darkly,” or “when I was a child, I spoke . . . as a child” (1 Corinthians 13:12, KJV; 13:11). And of course, 1 Corinthians 13 is better known as the “love chapter,” a beautiful work on what love is and what love does.

In Psalm 27, King David considered how his fears and anxieties melted in the presence of God: “The LORD is my light and my salvation —so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” (Psalm 27:1).

We could (and should) ask ourselves the same questions. Essentially, we’re invited to consider what we believe is more powerful than God and where we can find refuge besides God’s presence. David concluded correctly —God is all powerful, and there is no other hope.

“The one thing I ask of the LORD,” David wrote, “the thing I seek most —is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple” (Psalm 27:4).

If we could capture the essence of what David said and plant it deep within our souls, we would always find ourselves facing the right direction. Because frankly, the presence of God is the only place in the world that will ever make sense. As humans, we were created to be in God’s presence. He is our source of life, and life will not work any other way. This is not just a string of encouraging words. It is the reality of our existence.

May we delight in this reality. And may we revel in the collaborative nature of God. He wants to be with us. And when we want the same thing with all our hearts, we will certainly find ourselves in His presence —where we belong.

MEDITATION:

He will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me.