Completely Open

Meditation
2 Corinthians 5:11--Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well.
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Have you heard the expression, “Her life is an open book?” That phrase means that a person is not hiding secrets—their life is transparent so that attitudes, behavior, character, and thoughts are easily understood. So, likewise, when we revere God, something amazing happens—we live in such a way that God is honored because our lives are clean in His sight.  Furthermore, when we respect God, there should be no danger of violating peoples’ consciences.  

Fearing God requires zealous obedience to His will.  Yet obedience without the help of the Holy Spirit is impossible, for as Paul wrote, nothing good lives in our flesh (Romans 7:18).  Reverence compels me to please God, whereas the flesh lures me to self-gratification.  The former brings peace, while the latter results in confusion, disobedience, and despair.

When we understand what it truly means to revere God, a more profound longing takes root.  We seek to be completely open so that we can live as persuaders. We want people to know this awesome Lord “For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless” (5:10). 

It is hard to persuade people to follow Christ if our lives lack godly fear. Persuasion is best accomplished when we are most authentic. Robert Coleman wrote in The Master Plan of Discipleship, “Nothing hinders more the effective witness of the church than inconsistency in the lives of her members.” Jim Downing, who lived 104 years and served as a longtime member of an organization called The Navigators, noted, “I came to Christ not because I knew the plan of salvation, but because I wanted the quality of life that Virgil and other Christians had.”[1]  

Lord, let me love You reverently to persuade eloquently those hearts empty of Your Spirit. Let me be completely open before You and all people so that You are glorified. Forgive me for my sin and rescue me from this dying body so that I might focus on what is unseen and eternal (Rom. 7:24; 1 Co. 4:18).
 
Inspiration
“For one man who can introduce another to Jesus Christ by the way he lives and by the atmosphere of his life, there are a thousand who can only talk jargon about Him.”—Oswald Chambers in Shadow of an Agony
 
©2023 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you want to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed, subject to the inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)

[1] Jim Downing in Listening to a Legend