College football x chips and salsa + sunsets x foot massages + days off x laughing
Oh yeah...I like Paul that much. And just when I think Paul can't get any more STRAIGHT LEGIT as he's been in the past 2000 years...he goes and does something like THIS! 2 Corinthians 5: 14 - 6:1. Go get a bible. If you don't have one call me...I WILL BUY YOU ONE. There are three areas of this I love the most...(Paul...don't get me wrong here big guy....this WHOLE LETTER is the goods...but for the sake of this blog (and my sleep schedule) I can only touch on the three most legit (in my mind) verses in this beast. But well done my friend. Well done indeed).
2 Corinthians 5: 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." Read that again. Do it. Or I'll hunt you down. Well hello there conviction. Haven't seen you in a few minutes. Thanks for stopping by and COMPLETELY blowing my life apart. Are you serious right now?? It seems so easy. When you read it fast it's an easy verse to blow by, but slow down, and take those words in. No longer live for myself? What does that even LOOK LIKE? In a world where all I'm told to do is live for myself I honestly have to stop and examine that verse. My money isn't mine. My body isn't mine. My time isn't mine. My job isn't mine. My friends aren't mine. My weekend isn't mine. My car isn't mine (well....God probably doesn't want the 1997 Honda Civic with no radio and a blown head gasket...so I might be stuck with that one.) But the implication for this verse is so astronomical. So earth shattering. I need to move on....but seriously...I'm blacked out right now.
2 Corinthians 5: 20 "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." Wow Chief. That's a fair amount of responsibility. But I think I smell what you're stepping in. Every time I have EVER heard Greg (my legit brother) pray at some point he always says, "Make us your vessels, Lord." Greg's prayer has never touched my heart more than when I read verse 20. Being an ambassador is a pretty big deal. When I was 14 I was chosen to be one of the United Nations Ambassadors at our junior high (I honestly have no idea if this is a true story...but I'm pretty sure this is where I met Brian Boarini. I don't even know if that's how you spell his name. He went to Northwest Junior High. And he was dreamy.) I felt important sitting up at that round table with a gavel and my UN pin (again...this story could be completely fabricated) but I know the importance that comes with the delegation of being an ambassador. It means we are entrusted, by the Lord, to share His truth with the world. I have fought sharing the gospel. TRUST ME. Ask Ashlyn. I came up with every excuse under the sun for why I shouldn't have to walk up to a stranger and share the gospel with them. And trust me...I can be creative. I was pretty positive I had Ashlyn convinced as well. After a few minutes of listening to me she was like, "Ok Kate. Let's start walking again, and you can share with the next person we come to." Blasted. Foiled by Ashlyn. (I was pretty shocked...and impressed...the Lord is giving homegirl BOLDNESS for sure) because I am NOT the easiest person to disagree with. But Ashlyn was right. And Paul confirms it (here as well as multiple places...but because I'm so in love with 2 Corinthians right now we'll have a separate blog post on why if you love Jesus...you should have a growing desire to tell people....so you're off the hook....for now). Bottom line. Christ's ambassadors. BOOM.
Last verse for the day...and just as rowdy as the previous two.
2 Corinthians 6:1 "As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain." Ok. I don't even know where to start here. God's fellow worker? We aren't just called God's workers...but his FELLOW workers? Yeah. I'll just leave that one alone. It's just too ridiculous. "Receive God's grace in vain." What does this mean? I have no idea. But this is what I believe. Receiving God's grace in vain would be similar to what we are told NOT to do up above. We are called to no longer live for ourselves. If you have accepted Christ into your heart and believe that what He did for you on the cross is true, yet you continue to live to satisfy your own worldly desires, then you are disobeying Paul's instruction here. You are receiving God's grace in vain. Now before we all start attacking me with pitchforks and torches throwing out "Hypocrite" and "judgement slinger" let's get one thing straight. I put my own desires before the Lord ALL THE TIME. Am I proud of this? Ummm.....no?? Not in the least. Mostly because I know that my own desires are filled with evil thoughts that aim to do nothing more than satisfy my flesh. Money, power, instant gratification (hello Arby's curly fries). But does that mean that just because it's hard I don't intend to trust the Lord and know He has called me to a life that honors Him. Do I sin? Yep. You betcha. Daily. Hourly. There was one. Whops. There was another. But my focus is no longer on "earning" my way to Heaven. My focus is on accepting the gift of grace that the Lord has blessed me with. Will my sins continue to be present in my life? Yeah. They will. All the way up until the moment I am taken from this earth. But my hope is that the Lord continues to give me grace and strength to no longer receive God's grace in vain. I pray that the Lord continually convicts me of my call to serve Him. To be a vessel for His Kingdom. To reach the souls of the unbelievers who are sprinting down a path that leads to an eternity separated from Him. That got rowdy. But hey...they Gospel ain't no walk in the park.
Below is Brian Boarini. Fellow UN Ambassador...and my junior high crush.
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