Day 328 or November the 24th. You can get what
you expect. Our thoughts today are rooted in
2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 5. They exceeded
our expectations. They gave themselves first
of all to the Lord and then by the will of God
also to us. And now the big picture surrounding this
verse. Paul tells the Corinthians that they are
to be motivated by the love that Christ has so
lavishly spread amongst them. This will keep
inspiring them as they witness to the message
of reconciliation that is available only in Jesus
Christ. Then there are a few stern verses in
this letter that warn them not to be yoked together
with unbelievers. In the early days of the Church,
this was a particularly big problem, because
Gentiles were able to amend and mix their religions
with impunity, and now Paul is telling them not
only do they need to keep pure in doctrine, but
also in practical things like marriage. Over
the centuries, this has been the advice offered
to a couple who were seeking marriage when only
one of them was a committed Christian. It seems
the unbeliever's influence almost always wins
in such duos. And now, our action step for today.
Paul tells the believers in the south, in Corinth,
about their brothers and sisters in the churches
of Macedonia, up in the north of Greece. He relishes
the opportunity to brag about their dedication
and the willingness of the Macedonian believers
to support others financially. How often do you
brag about your fellowship? I have preached in
churches where I have been full of positive expectation
after talking to the leaders before the service.
They really were proud of their fellowship, and
I sensed it. On the other hand, I've been presented
with the exact opposite by being told what a
hard, inflexible lot this congregation is, and
they were. Expectations are often moulded by
what we hear. It works with families and friends
too. Expect good things and you're more likely
to experience them. It's more than positive thinking,
it's seeing the best in others. Try it for yourself.