2 Corinthians 4: 13-5:1
It is written, “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us up with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Through outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Now we know if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
A Thought
When we receive the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have an obligation to separate ourselves from the world and to be joined with Christ. We by faith have received the knowledge of the gospel and now we are to speak the truth of Christ to others. We must not become discouraged even when we suffer, even in body, because of our witness of Christ. Instead we must be renewed day by day with thanksgiving to bring glory to God who will raise us up to be with Christ in our eternal home in heaven. Our temporary troubles and sufferings will be far outweighed by the eternal glory we will receive through Christ. Be of good cheer! Christ has overcome the world!
Our Prayer
Father thank you for opening the eyes of our heart that we may receive the truth of your love and grace. Fill us with your joy that we may have strength to endure suffering for the sake of the gospel to be plainly spoken to others so they too may believe your truth. We want to see the unseen that we may receive the eternal things in Christ. We ask in his name, amen.
