Reading
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
Devotion
Peace be with you!
The world has some pretty concrete rules with which no one seems to argue:
Whatever goes up must come down.
Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be redistributed or changed from one form to another.
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
Even as a Christian, you do not argue against these laws of science. Some things you just never question. However, the world deceives you and causes the truth to be foggy and hidden. The devil wants you to believe there is nothing beyond this life. Death gets the final say. This seems like scientific fact.
Paul points to another way of looking at and understanding the world: through Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Despite the devil’s efforts, the Lord is active in the world. God intervenes in the world on our behalf through self empathy and self giving. In his wisdom, God sends Jesus to be crucified, killed, and resurrected out of his unconditional love for us.
The world does not understand God’s wisdom because it does not follow the rules of the world. Jesus dies on the cross, and then he rises three days later to new life in the Kingdom of God. This makes no sense in a world where death marks the end of one’s life. The Holy Spirit reveals God’s wisdom to those who believe in the good news of Jesus Christ. God’s wisdom leads us to his glory in his kingdom where we will be granted eternal life.
The world tries to get us to turn against God’s wisdom. You may have fallen into this trap when you defend your place in the world. You seek acceptance in the world for your uniqueness and for what you have to offer. You accept the way the world operates and expect nothing more or less. The world causes you to limit everything to what can be proven by seeing, hearing, and feeling.
Yet God’s wisdom turns you away from the world and into the unknown and indefinable. Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection breaks down the laws of physics and biology. On the cross, Jesus’ way turns the world upside down, inviting you to believe in something more than what this world has to offer. It forces you to understand the possibility of the impossible. God intervenes on your behalf, so you can enjoy eternal life in his kingdom.
Thanks be to God!
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your wisdom and power. Help us to live according to your wisdom. Turn us away from the way of the world. Lead us to share the good news with individuals in the world. Guide us with your wisdom. Thank you for your promise of eternal life. Amen.
Works Cited
Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Reflective Questions
Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below. Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the behavior covenant by commenting on it.) You can answer as many questions as you would like.
- How does the world turn you against God’s wisdom?
- How do you live according to God’s wisdom?
