October 27

Who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us. 2 Corinthians 1:10.

Paul is explaining to those in Corinth that he had experienced terrible affliction while he was in Asia. He had been burdened beyond any measure of his own strength—all for the purpose of trusting in the Lord. He had even despaired for his own life. But God delivered him—in the past, in the present, and He will deliver him in the future. It is on this fact that we can set our hope as well.

What does it mean to be delivered? What are we delivered from? It is important for us to realize that God is eternally active in this delivery business. He continually offers us life in place of the death that is the trademark of our earthly bodies. He is eternally watching us in our every move here on earth; watching for opportunities to show us His way in place of our way. He is searching us to find how to replace our hard and selfish hearts with His loving and tender heart. In this process we become more like Him each day. Yes, we are to be delivered unto Him.

Today Lord Jesus, I thank You for the sacrifice that made it possible for us to be delivered. I have problems that need solving; I have habits that distract me from You, and I often fail to do what You call me to do. Yet, I know that You are ever present and You will show me, perhaps gradually or in obvious steps, that I can be delivered into a more Christ-like person. I ask You to do this today and each day, and I thank You for all the love that makes this possible. Amen.
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