Verse: 1 Corinthians 6:18-20
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Devotion
Living in this world is like swimming in a limitless sea of opportunities for selfishness. The world’s truths tell us to think of ourselves first and foremost.

Paul’s urgency here is that out of all of the sins we can commit (which let’s face it are based in selfishness), only this one is considered truly different and we must use strength and power to run from it. Sexual sins are not just a defiance to God, but actually affect the body and spirit. They become something we carry along with us in this life journey in a very deep way. Even after forgiveness, they come with a high cost.

In these verses we are being called to be different from a world where the glory goes to the flesh. A culture where being true to the self is often denying the truths of God.

We start out as babies crying for every need to be met and are supposed to grow into adults where we recognize our needs and act in accordance with what is appropriate and acceptable. But what are we to do when we can mentally rationalize why giving in to something is ok? Or philosophize how it isn’t all that big of a deal? Everyone battles a lot of these things out in their heads, and I know it is hard to hear what God truly wants from us. They say the flesh is weak for a reason: IT IS!

We are called to rise above the desires of our fleshly nature time and time again. But the best thing of all is that God doesn’t make us rise above them on our own strength. We have a power the world does not. Through the gift of Jesus’ resurrection (which is the absolute defeat of death and all things of the flesh) we can have the strength to be better and become different from the world.

See we aren’t being called to be different through a strength of our own but through the power of the Holy Spirit. A gift given to us to rise above this world of selfishness and shine bright in the darkness.

Prayer:
Lord, you see me and know me. You know where I struggle and where I am strong. Please remind me to reach for the strength I don’t have when I need it. Please teach me how to rise above selfishness, flee from what isn’t good for me, and become more like you, dear Jesus. Where I am weak, may you be strong. I am grateful for how you are the changer of hearts and the giver of a better life. Please walk with me daily as I seek to hear you more and me less. In your name, Amen

Author: Mindy Kempista