Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:1-10
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. 6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did – and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did – and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did – and were killed by the destroying angel.
Devotion
Paul is giving the believers in Corinth a history lesson from the Old Testament of what happened to the Jewish people who left Egypt and were rescued by God through Moses but still continued in their sinful ways. They continued to make idols to worship, continued sexual immorality, tested the Lord and grumbled at the Lord about their plight. They weren’t thankful for being brought out of slavery. As a result of their hard hearts, many of them died and only two of the original group made it to the promised land.
We also have been brought out of slavery, slavery to sin, by Jesus’ death on the cross. As Paul says in 2 Co 5:17, we are new creatures In Christ, made righteous by his death. Should we be like those that left Egypt, grumbling about our plight, putting earthly things above our devotion to God? Are we truly thankful for what Jesus has done for us or do we take for granted the freedom that we have?
Now is a good time to reflect on our lives and our priorities. God wants to be first above even our family and definitely our jobs and friends. By putting him first, we walk with the Spirit which allows us to live the best, most fulfilling life that we can. But we have to turn our backs to those things that are not of God. What is the Holy Spirit prompting you to turn from? Or maybe to turn to, like being more worshipful or grateful. Let’s accept His offer to lead us from slavery to freedom.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for your death for our sins and for your resurrection which shows us the way to eternal life. Show us how you want us to grow in you as your disciples while we are here on earth. Lead us this week into all that you have for us and help us to turn our backs on any temptations to lead us away from you.
Author: Brad Dunn
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