2 Corinthians 4:13-18
As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:18
Eric Liddell, the main character in the classic movie, Chariots of Fire, was most well-known for his heroics in the 1924 Olympics. He chose not to participate in his pet event, the 100-metre sprint, which fell on a Sunday and instead broke the then world record in an unfamiliar 400-metre event. What was less known was that when the war broke out, he sent his family away and stayed on in China to serve its people, eventually spending his final two years in a prisoner of war camp in China (1943-1945) and gave his life teaching and organising sporting activities for the prisoners until his last moments.
In 2 Corinthians 4:13, Paul quotes Psalm 116:10, during which King David affirmed his faith in the Lord despite his many afflictions and near-death encounters. In citing these verses, Paul encouraged believers to “have the same spirit of faith” as David. That although we cannot see the end, we can trust that in the midst of our sufferings, God remains deeply interested in our good and will eventually come through for us.
A few verses earlier, Paul shared his constant struggle of being afflicted in every way but not being utterly crushed, only by the mercies of God. Paul reminded believers that we will always be given over to death as we strive to live in a manner worthy of our Lord. As we do our best to live this crucified life, we will experience pain, rejection and hopelessness. Christians must therefore be prepared for this “daily death”. In verse 14, Paul reminded believers that this “hanging on” is because of our resurrection hope. It is not wishful thinking. It already happened with Jesus. And the death-defeating and life-changing event at the cross is merely the beginning of the end. We will be with Jesus at the final resurrection.
So, do not lose heart. Though our physical bodies waste away with age as we battle diseases, though we look and feel like a shadow of our youthful days, though our mental faculties are no longer as sharp, though we experience disappointments and hurts in our relationships with our loved ones, though we groan at the crushing load of our work. Still, when it seems like everything is going downhill, Paul issues a battle cry to the community of the faithful. God’s resurrection power works in and through us, and our inner selves are being renewed. Paul gives an athlete’s analogy here. We are undergoing training, and the weights that we are carrying now are light but necessary. They make us strong, teach us to persevere, and prepare us for greater things. They appear to be hindering us, but they are momentary. At the end of this training, we will have developed the full maturity of character to bear the weight of glory as co-rulers with Christ over all of creation. In the meantime, we must fix our eyes on eternity and on Christ, so that we can complete this race.
Eric Liddell understood what it meant to compete in a race, and he experienced the joy of winning an Olympic medal. But the greatest race he ever ran was the one in the gallows of the POW (Prisoner-of-War) camp, where he ran to make sure that the light of Christ shone where it was darkest.
Reflection:
1. What experiences in your life may cause you to lose heart?
2. How do you see God’s resurrection power at work in your current challenges and in your life as you connect the dots?
3. What are the “transients” that have motivated you so far?
Prayer:
Dear God, we declare that we share the same faith of our spiritual forefathers and that in the midst of our afflictions and of “wasting away” of the old Adam, we are actually being renewed into a new Adam. We ask that you strengthen our faith to see beyond the present momentary afflictions, to experience daily the power of the resurrection, as we learn to die to ourselves and live for you. In so doing, may we catch a glimpse of the eternal weight of glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Eric Liddell, the main character in the classic movie, Chariots of Fire, was most well-known for his heroics in the 1924 Olympics. He chose not to participate in his pet event, the 100-metre sprint, which fell on a Sunday and instead broke the then world record in an unfamiliar 400-metre event. What was less known was that when the war broke out, he sent his family away and stayed on in China to serve its people, eventually spending his final two years in a prisoner of war camp in China (1943-1945) and gave his life teaching and organising sporting activities for the prisoners until his last moments.
In 2 Corinthians 4:13, Paul quotes Psalm 116:10, during which King David affirmed his faith in the Lord despite his many afflictions and near-death encounters. In citing these verses, Paul encouraged believers to “have the same spirit of faith” as David. That although we cannot see the end, we can trust that in the midst of our sufferings, God remains deeply interested in our good and will eventually come through for us.
A few verses earlier, Paul shared his constant struggle of being afflicted in every way but not being utterly crushed, only by the mercies of God. Paul reminded believers that we will always be given over to death as we strive to live in a manner worthy of our Lord. As we do our best to live this crucified life, we will experience pain, rejection and hopelessness. Christians must therefore be prepared for this “daily death”. In verse 14, Paul reminded believers that this “hanging on” is because of our resurrection hope. It is not wishful thinking. It already happened with Jesus. And the death-defeating and life-changing event at the cross is merely the beginning of the end. We will be with Jesus at the final resurrection.
So, do not lose heart. Though our physical bodies waste away with age as we battle diseases, though we look and feel like a shadow of our youthful days, though our mental faculties are no longer as sharp, though we experience disappointments and hurts in our relationships with our loved ones, though we groan at the crushing load of our work. Still, when it seems like everything is going downhill, Paul issues a battle cry to the community of the faithful. God’s resurrection power works in and through us, and our inner selves are being renewed. Paul gives an athlete’s analogy here. We are undergoing training, and the weights that we are carrying now are light but necessary. They make us strong, teach us to persevere, and prepare us for greater things. They appear to be hindering us, but they are momentary. At the end of this training, we will have developed the full maturity of character to bear the weight of glory as co-rulers with Christ over all of creation. In the meantime, we must fix our eyes on eternity and on Christ, so that we can complete this race.
Eric Liddell understood what it meant to compete in a race, and he experienced the joy of winning an Olympic medal. But the greatest race he ever ran was the one in the gallows of the POW (Prisoner-of-War) camp, where he ran to make sure that the light of Christ shone where it was darkest.
Reflection:
1. What experiences in your life may cause you to lose heart?
2. How do you see God’s resurrection power at work in your current challenges and in your life as you connect the dots?
3. What are the “transients” that have motivated you so far?
Prayer:
Dear God, we declare that we share the same faith of our spiritual forefathers and that in the midst of our afflictions and of “wasting away” of the old Adam, we are actually being renewed into a new Adam. We ask that you strengthen our faith to see beyond the present momentary afflictions, to experience daily the power of the resurrection, as we learn to die to ourselves and live for you. In so doing, may we catch a glimpse of the eternal weight of glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.