Friday 30th June
Read 2 Corinthians 13:11-14
“Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All God’s people here send their greetings.
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (NIVUK)
As Paul ends his letter, it is a surprising exhortation with which he finishes – rejoice! It may seem counter-intuitive, yet joy remains at the very heart of the Christian faith. Joy at being adopted into God’s family. Joy at finding brothers and sisters in Christ. Joy that peace amongst such disparate and otherwise strange people is even possible. Joy that, in Christ, we can find unity and be of one mind. Joy that even if tough words need to be said, love is possible because the God of love is with us. Joy that we are part of a much larger family of believers.
Paul changes up the trinitarian formula often found at the end of his letters. Rather than Father, Son and Spirit – it is Son, Father and Spirit. Perhaps this is a final reminder that self-sacrifice and humility remains at the heart of the faith because it is at the heart of the Godhead?
As we begin 15 Days of Prayer as a church community perhaps we would do well to ask for the blessing of grace, love and fellowship to be extended to each other and to those in our community.
Rejoice indeed!
