6 As we work together with him, we entreat you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. ² For he says,

“At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
    and on a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! ³ We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, ⁴ but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: in great endurance, afflictions, hardships, calamities, ⁵ beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; ⁶ in purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, ⁷ truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; ⁸ in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors and yet are true, ⁹ as unknown and yet are well known, as dying and look—we are alive, as punished and yet not killed, ¹⁰ as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing everything.

2 Corinthians 6:1-10

Dear God, Paul really gets on a roll here. Sister Miriam focuses on verse 2 in Restore: A Guided Lent Journal for Prayer and Meditation, but it’s verses 3-10 that really struck me this morning. I am just picturing Paul sitting somewhere either writing this feverishly or dictating it to someone who is feverishly trying to keep up with what he is saying here.

I like how I see Paul’s “fruits of the Spirit” from Galatians 5 weave their way into his other writings. It’s one of his themes. Part of his stump speech. They appear here: patience, kindness, love.

But I think the point of all of this is to encourage the Corinthians (and me) to accept the responsibility inherent in receiving your grace. To whom much is given, much is required. What do you require of me today? I doubt it will be to physically suffer as Paul did, but it might mean exposing myself to ridicule out of my love for you. It might mean embarrassment. It might even mean losing a donor who doesn’t like my devotion to you. I don’t know. But I know that I need to be prepared now for when that moment comes. I cannot wait until I am challenged to decide I will stand up to that challenge. I need to decide it now.

Father, I am your child. I love you. I make mistakes all of the time. Not only ever day, but as much as every hour or more. I am sorry. But I accept both your grace and the responsibility that comes with that grace. Sister Miriam talks about the courage to explore the parts of our heart that we have kept from you and hear you say, “It’s time now. Let’s look at these things together. I am with you. You are never alone. it is time to allow these places to surface so you can be well.” So I invite you in. I accept your presence in every part of my heart. I pray that you will be gentle with me.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen