2 Corinthians 4:1-6 Let the Light Shine
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: April 22, 2020 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
(Understanding the Text) God gave Paul his ministry. Jesus revealed Himself to Paul so that Paul could see the scriptures clearly, which he had previously studied while looking through a veil. Paul says that having seen clearly what the scriptures really point to and having the Spirit of Jesus living inside of him, he did not become discouraged. He is being transformed by the light of Jesus, so he refuses to twist Jesus’ words whether it is Old Testament or direct quotes from the real-live Man. Paul can stand before people with a clear conscience.
Paul is contrasting his own teaching with that of the Judaizers and false teachers who had come among the Corinthians to try to twist their minds to a different belief. Paul says that his own teaching is straightforward and clear. It may be veiled to people who have chosen not to rip their veil away. These people have chosen to look through the devil’s viewpoint of God rather than to clearly look at Jesus and see God. Paul says that he is not telling people about himself. He is telling people about Jesus, the Messiah, Paul’s Master. Paul is not the important person. Jesus is.
(Revelation of God) Paul says that the Creator God who brought light out of darkness is now giving light to human minds. That light is knowing the goodness of Jesus, and in knowing Jesus, we know the goodness of God. Paul ends with Jesus in the place of Moses radiating out the glory of God to the world. The Spirit is the One who lives in our hearts, so this verse could read: The Spirit living in us and transforming us is the same God who created the earth and banished the dark by bringing light. He is doing the same to us by directing us to look at Jesus. When we see Jesus, we see the Father whose power radiates out to us all in the form of the Spirit, who testifies of Jesus, who reflects the goodness of the Father out to the world and into our hearts so that we can see Jesus more clearly and see the Father more clearly and be filled more fully with the glory of God, His Spirit.
(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that God has called me to reveal His glory to the world. He has called me to reveal His goodness to the world. When people look at me, they need to see Jesus. I pray that they will see You when they look at me. Because of the need to reflect Jesus’ glory, there is no room to connive and cover up who I am or who Jesus is. There is no double talk or misdirection. There is only living for and with Jesus. I pray to always look to You and that the veil that covers my heart and my vision will be drawn aside so that I will become one with You.