2 Corinthians 6:1-7:1

Be Still: Lord, ready my heart, mind, and soul to hear your voice speaking to me today. Amen

Read: 2 Corinthians 6:1-7:1

'As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, ‘In the time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.' (6v1-2)

Encounter: In 2024, Lucy Illingworth was the star of the TV competition ‘The Piano’. The show searches for new musical talent, encouraging amateurs to play a piano set in a busy train station, with world-famous judges watching from a hidden room. 13-year-old Lucy, who is blind, neurodivergent and mostly non-verbal, brought many of the crowd to tears as she played, and she went on to perform at the King’s Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle. 

While her parents had noticed Lucy’s interest in music from an early age, it was her teacher Daniel Bath who worked with her over many years to see her innate talent come to fruition. He developed a technique where he played the piano and Lucy put her hands on top of his, following the keys, listening carefully, and learning exactly where to place her fingers to create the beautiful sounds. After many, many hours, months, and years of work together, he had the joy of seeing Lucy flourish in her incredible gift and ultimately perform before the king.

As Christians, we have the privilege of working with the heavenly King himself, who knows our innate giftings and talents, limits and capabilities, and is ready and waiting to patiently teach, shape, and encourage us as we co-work with him.

Apply: As we think about today's conversations and tasks, the relationships and situations we will need to navigate, what would be the difference if we ‘co-worked’ with God, rather than assuming we should do it on our own? In 2 Corinthians 6:14 Paul encourages his readers to, ‘open wide your hearts’. As we open up our hearts to allow God to work in us, through us, and with us, we begin to know what it means when God says, ‘I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.’ (6:16)

Devote: Lord, what a privilege it is to have you as our teacher, to know what it means to do life alongside you and with you. Let us know your presence and your guiding hand in all we do.