2 Corinthians 4:1
Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
What of Today’s Verse…
In addition to heavenly liberty, God desires to mark our lives with other spiritual characteristics. One of these is the godly encouragement that comes from living and serving under a ministry of mercy and grace.
The service we now render to the Lord is based upon mercy: “since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy.” We deserved condemnation by God and separation from Him for eternity. Instead, God had mercy upon us, forgiving us our sins. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Tit_3:5). Furthermore, by His mercy He enlists us in His service. “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy” (1Ti_1:12-13). Our ministry is also about grace. “I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me” (Eph_3:7).
In light of having this type of ministry (one related to mercy and grace), “we do not lose heart.” If we were called to serve God based on our merit and our resources, we would lose heart. We can periodically be tempted to discouragement, as we serve our God. Paul’s testimony of service is similar to many of God’s servants down through the ages. “For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears” (2Co_7:5). At times, we too are surrounded by impossibilities and threatened by apprehensions. What are we to do in such unsettling trials? “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Heb_12:3). No one faced more battles and betrayals than the Lord Jesus did. Yet, no one served more faithfully. In battle after battle, the Father brought Jesus through victoriously. We can count on the Lord to have mercy upon us. He will pour out His grace upon us and bring us through victoriously as well.
Remember, our service of the Lord is based upon mercy and grace. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb_4:16).
Let us Pray:
O God of mercy and grace, You know how often discouragement rolls over me like crashing waves. Please remind me that my service unto You depends on Your mercy and grace, not on my capabilities or performance. Thank You, Lord!
Words of Wisdom
A Spirit Of Prayer
In the consecrated believer, the Holy Spirit is pre-eminently a Spirit of prayer. If our whole being is committed to Him, and our thoughts are at His bidding, He will occupy every moment in communion and we shall bring everything to Him as it comes, and pray it out in our spiritual consciousness before we act it out in our lives. We shall, therefore, find ourselves taking up the burdens of life and praying them out in a wordless prayer, which we ourselves often cannot understand, but which is simply the unfolding of His thought and will within us, and which will be followed by the unfolding of His providence concerning us.
Want of faithfulness and obedience to the faintest whisper of His will often hinder some blessing, which He meant for us until after a while we may get so dull and negligent that He will not be able to trust us with His whispers and we shall thus stumble on in the darkness and miss His highest thoughts.
Lord, teach us to pray in the Spirit, to pray without ceasing and to lose nothing of Thy will.
“We will give ourselves continually to prayer.” -Acts 6:4
