Open Wide Your Heart
Scripture: 2 Corinthians
6:3-13
For the sake of Christ and
the spreading of the Gospel, Paul endured great opposition-“afflictions,
hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless
nights, (and) hunger” (v4-7). Unfortunately,
additional opposition came from fellow believers in the church at Corinth, who
questioned his apostolic authority, considered his physical appearance weak,
and called his speech contemptible (2 Corinthians 10:10).
Despite all that he endured,
Paul remained faithful to God and God’s people, choosing to govern himself by
“purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love,
truthful speech, and the power of God” (v6-7).
Somehow and someway, Paul kept his heart wide open to God’s people and
encouraged his fellow “workers” (v1) to extend him the same courtesy.
In our Christian walk, we
will face heartaches and hardships, sleepless nights and great sacrifice. Through it all and by the power of the Holy
Spirit, may we keep our love unconditional and our hearts “wide open” to both
God and each other.
Prayer: Lord, you have
kept your arms and your heart wide open to us.
Open our hearts wide so that we—as a reconciled people—might more
graciously offer one another signs of forgiveness and peace.
The Reverend Adrienne Denson
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