Forward Movement is an official, non-profit agency of the Episcopal Church whose mission is to create compelling content for Christian living. Since 1935 we have published the quarterly devotional Forward Day by Day, as well as pamphlets, booklets, and books that encourage and nourish people in their lives of prayer and faith.
TUESDAY, September 22 (Philander Chase)
1 Corinthians 5:1-8. Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch...not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
In this passage, Paul is chastising the Corinthians for purported loose living and boasting. He reminds them that the sacrifice of Christ, the paschal lamb, has given them a new way to live.
Although many centuries have passed, Christ's sacrifice is just as real for us, and this advice is just as relevant. It is part of our fallen human nature to boast, to gossip, to speak of others with malice, and to rejoice over evil. Crime and the depravity of our fellow humans sell newspapers and make for a gripping first story on the evening newscast.
But we, for whom Christ died, are unleavened bread and thus marked by some very different qualities. Sincerity and truth are our watchwords and the rule by which we are called to live. When others see these as the driving force in our lives, they too will be drawn to Christ. How tasty it is to be such unleavened bread.
PRAY for the Diocese of Southwest Florida (Province IV, USA)
Ps 78:1-39 * 78:40-72; 2 Kings 5:19-27; Matthew 5:27-37
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Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.
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Political figures are part of our common life. Just as faith is part of our common life. I pray that one day we'll all reach the point of discussing their intesection without having our narrow, sectarian sensibilities offended. I obviously believe in miracles.
None of us can presume to know whether this writer has any "underlying" intent, but I ask God to fix my inability to see the forest for the trees.