God's Good Purpose for You
Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:3
1 Corinthians 12:31 I will show you the most excellent way.
The Bible tells us that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). God's good purpose for all Christians is that we be "conformed to the likeness of his Son" (Romans 8:29). Christians are destined to reflect Jesus' perfection both in their character and in their body. If you have already accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, then God's Spirit is already at work in you "to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Philippians 2:13). This purpose will be completed at Jesus' return.
Christians make progress toward becoming like Jesus when they strive to love others as he did. The Bible calls this kind of love agape (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Whenever you do something good for an undeserving person, you are acting on the power of agape. God is both the source and the Christian's model of agape, for "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Christians can love this way because "God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (Romans 5:5).
When you use your gifts to make yourself appear superior to others, you are not gaining anything in the Christian life. But when you use your gifts to build others up, you are becoming more like Jesus!
Father, thanks for your good purpose for me; thanks, Lord Jesus, for modeling God’s love to me; O Holy Spirit, continue to deepen God’s love in me, until I attain to Christ’s perfection. Amen.
About the author — Richard E. Williams
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