Most Pitied

Daily Reading: 1 Corinthians 15

Scripture Focus: If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15.19)

Devotional Thought: Have you ever heard someone say, “Being a Christian is so good, I would follow Christ even if there was no promise of heaven”?  I know I’ve said it.   Jesus is so good to me, and life with him is so good that I think I could be perfectly happy without the promise of heaven.  The freedom that I enjoy in Christ, the sense of peace that comes with having my sins forgiven, the wonderful fellowship in the church, the unconditional love that is given by God, the thrill of worship, the knowledge that Jesus walks with me every day through every trial… these things and many others make the Christian life wonderful! 

Yet, Paul said that without the promise of heaven we are to be most pitied.  Why is that?  The answer is found in verse 14 (NIV): “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”  If there is no resurrection, then how can we believe anything that his followers preached?  For that matter, Jesus himself would be found to be a liar if there is no resurrection, for he said to Martha, “Your brother will rise again… I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me will live, even though he dies” (John 11.23, 25, NIV).  If there is no hope beyond this life, I find myself in the unenviable position of believing the biggest deception ever foisted upon the human race.

But, hallelujah! “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead!”  And, I will be raised, too!  It’s not joy in this life versus joy in the resurrection.  We have both!  We have all the blessings of walking with God, and we have the assurance that when we die we will ever be with the Lord. 

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for giving me abundant life. But, thank you even more that you have given me eternal life.  My hope goes beyond this "vale of tears" and is firmly anchored in heaven!  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 113.1-3

1 Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord!

2 Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore!

3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!