The Ultimate Change

Prayer Practice

Breath Prayer – Take 2-3 minutes today to pray a simple breath prayer. Get somewhere quiet and relaxing. Breathe in deeply, and then breathe out fully. As you breathe in, ask God to fill you with His presence, grace, love, peace, etc. Consider using the list of spiritual fruit in Galatians 5:22-23. As you breathe out, offer to God the things you need Him to take from you – sin, doubt, shame, anxiety, fear, etc. Pray this way for just a few minutes, trusting God to work, and then begin reading today’s Scripture.

DAILY READING

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

REFLECTION

Behold: Mystery and Victory

by Mary Alice McGinnis

Behold!  What does that word mean to you?  In today’s reading, Paul tells his readers (including us) BEHOLD! 

It’s more than just LOOK.  It is more like a command to take notice, to see, observe, to pay attention!  He is saying, “Listen up, what I am about to tell you is of utmost importance!”

What was it that Paul found so important? 

Through the prompting of the Holy Spirit’s Divine inspiration, Paul says:

“I tell you a mystery!”

Earlier in letter to the Corinthians, he says, “But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.” 1 Corinthians 2:7

The mystery Paul is speaking about is not something they could come to know or understand with their own intellectual prowess. No amount of human searching would ever be able to unveil this mystery.  This secret mystery of God can only be comprehended by those whom God chooses to reveal it to.

Let’s try to picture what Paul describes with our mind’s eye. 

“We will not all sleep, but we shall all by changed!”

What if that were really true?  What if what we fear the most, the demons that haunt us, the sin that seems to hold us captive, what if death itself no longer had power over us?  What if what we thought would crush and destroy us (make us perish) was SWALLOWED UP? 

What if that ultimate enemy had NO POWER OVER US?

Picture this. The enemy has you in his clutches. All seems lost. You are held captive, feeling the crushing weight of shame, failure, and insignificance.

Then a trumpet sounds. It is a call of victory! The One who sent to the cross for you swallows up all that is trying to destroy you. And no one is left to harm you.

How would that change you? How would keeping your eyes on the VICTORY that is now yours change how you live today?

Thank You Lord Jesus, for being the conquering hero!  You are the Divine Mystery that has been planned by God from all eternity.  Your death and resurrection has changed me and set me free!  I am forever Yours! 

Now, no power of hell, nor scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand!

Thanks be to God who gives us the victory!