Verse: 2 Corinthians 5:11-15
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

Devotion:
This group of verses is a little confusing to me at first read, but taken together with the rest of the chapter, it seems to get a little clearer. What I am hearing as I read this is that we are not our own. The world’s wisdom would say the direct opposite – We are our own, and we are the only ones who can say what is right for ourselves. And the world does think that Christians are out of their mind. But the Bible would contradict this.

Here we are, and we are called to think differently than the world. We are living for Jesus. And that is the way to abundant life – because we were built for that, and nothing else will be truly satisfactory. This is hard to really come to grips with. We also somehow fight this, tooth and nail. We don’t want to place ourselves under His authority, and yet if we believe what he says, if we believe that He died for us, then what other logical choice is there? We no longer live for ourselves.

This whole chapter tears at the fabric of living by the world’s wisdom, and by the things that we can see with our eyes. It is a series of contrasts, describing the tension in which we live, and it is encouraging to think that the things that are painful here and now are temporary. It’s easy to be immersed in what we see and feel, but there is so much more to reality. If I could be better at lifting my eyes up and out of the current that I feel so swept up in, I think I would find it easier to walk in a different direction. A better direction. I know I need to stop and examine my thoughts on a daily basis. Am I being swept up in the world’s wisdom? It may sound wise, but is it wise?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Help me to really make you Lord in my daily life. Help me to be sensitive to your spirit and to what is true.  It is so hard to live as if I am not my own. But I truly want to be surrendered to you! Amen.

Author: Emily Costa