READ: 2 Corinthians 1
BACKGROUND: 2 Corinthians is actually Paul’s 3rd letter to the church in Corinth. After writing his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul was forced to make a quick and difficult visit to Corinth because the problems he’d addressed in his letter hadn’t been solved. After this visit he wrote them another severe and sad letter (2 Corinthians 2:4) – which we don’t have a copy of. He wrote this letter to show joy at the way the church responded to his correction, to encourage the church to keep their commitment to one another and to their fellow believers in Judea, and to demonstrate the authority that God had given Paul to teach and lead.
THINK: In these verses, Paul writes to the church in the city of Corinth about the promises of God through the fulfillment of Jesus. Read verses 17-22 again and circle the word yes each time it appears in the text.
So often we hear the word no, but this passage says that God affirms us, making us a sure things in Christ, putting his yes with us. What does it mean to hear yes from God? What would your life look like – how would it look different – if you lived with complete confidence in the assurance that God has said yes to you? If you stopped allowing your past, your regrets, and your mistakes define who you are and had an unshakable confidence that God has set his seal of ownership upon you?
PRAY: Allow God to affirm you as you sit with him. Invite him to bring his promises of yes to your mind and heart. Embrace those promises and allow him to place his seal upon your heart so you can carry it around with you.
LIVE: Write down 1 or 2 specific yes answers God has given you in your life. Carry that sheet of paper around with you this week and consider sharing those answers with a friend, roommate, family member, classmate, or coworker today.
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