Today’s chapter is 2 Corinthians 2, you can read it here

Tom writes:

Paul started this follow-up letter to the Corinthians exposing the bone-grinding agony that he had gone through. Here he continues his disclosure, bringing a new slant to his suffering. We see that in every interaction and moment Paul works to become astonishingly conscious of God. Paul is a bit like a social media addict who is always checking for new posts; except he was only following One Account. Paul refuses to give up looking for comfort directly from God, and so when God makes it available he grabs it and is strengthened by it (1:4). I guess a lot of us do that. But Paul went further. Paul constantly reminded himself that God was watching him. He knows God saw his difficult decision not to return to Corinth (1:23). Paul knows Jesus watched him forgive the Corinthians offender (2:10). Paul knew that God was watching him travel around the Mediterranean and that he even opened a door for him in Troas (2:12). Each of these statements speaks volumes of how Paul’s inner mind worked; what he thought about, how he gained his strength, how he viewed every single situation. Fascinatingly we see Paul even claiming that he smelled beautiful to God even though others were telling him differently (2:15). How could he have known such a thing? Well, there is a clue in 1:9 when he says his sufferings taught him to “not rely on ourselves but on God”. Paul seems to have allowed his life to cultivate a deliberate reliance on God in every waking moment. Before he opens his lips in reply or before he takes his next step Paul seems to have built a pause, a lag for his Lord.

It reminds me of what Bill Johnson has said about carrying the presence of the Spirit; that we should live like we have a dove resting on our head… slowly. And so I’m wanting to slow down my speech. To build in a lag for my Lord. It goes against so much of my natural tendencies but I think it is what I need. If all of us can grow a greater level of awareness of God watching us, opening doors for us, even smelling us then we will find a more robust life. If we can learn to live with a lag for our Lord then we will find a more unshakable life that is incredibly fruitful for Jesus. I so much want to see God all the time. I guess I need to slow down my mind.

Question for reflection

How aware are you of God always watching you and responding to you? How could you cultivate greater awareness of Him?

2 Corinthians 2 - Monday 10th June