This week in Second Corinthians, Paul adds to his ongoing list of seemingly paradoxical ideas. Good grief. “Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death (7:10).”
Throughout the Bible, we’re told that the way up is down. Both James and Peter tell us that God exalts those who humble themselves before Him (cf. James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6). Sometimes we wisely choose this path of humility ourselves, but often we don’t, and our heavenly Father is good and gracious to use “godly grief” as a means to lead us downward that He might lift us upward.
Paul had been God’s human instrument to lovingly “grieve” the Corinthian church through a previous letter and we’ll see him rejoice over the news that it had produced this godly grief that bore the fruit of repentance. Lord willing, He will use this passage on Sunday to help us welcome His loving and Fatherly discipline that, though painful in the moment, in the end promises to yield this “peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11).
This Sunday morning Randy Gruendyke will be preaching 2 Corinthians 7:2-16 and Kenny Clark will be leading our sung worship. Would you pray for each as they prepare? And let’s pray for our church family that we would heed Peter’s words and “humble ourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt us.”
Join us again in the evening at 6pm for our monthly Lord’s Supper service. Our visiting Grace partners Nate and Janna will be sharing with us during family time and Nate will be leading us to the communion table with a short message from Scripture. We will also be saying goodbye to and praying for Annie and Kaiden Tolkamp who move up north next week to start a new chapter.
See you Sunday, Grace. Come hungry!
Song Link of the Week
His Mercy is More live from the Sing! Conference 2023
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father, so tender, is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more