21 But it is God who establishes us together with you in Christ and who anointed us, 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.

23 Now I appeal to God as my witness, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth. 24 I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Viet Mai

Standing firm in the Christian life is never an easy task. There are so many temptations that distract us from Jesus, and we have a tendency to wander away from Jesus. But thanks be to God that he is the one who keeps us and holds onto us. Paul says that it is God who establishes us, or makes us “stand firm in Christ” (NIV).

We often think that being a Christian is like a baby monkey holding onto its mother’s back – it’s up to me to cling desperately onto Jesus with all my strength. Yet this passage tells us that the Christian life is more like a mother cat carrying its kitten. Just as the mother cat does the holding on, so God holds onto us as we continue to trust in Christ.

I pray that this truth will encourage us to keep standing firm for Jesus, knowing that God is holding on to us.

Here’s a prayer from the Anglican prayer book that expresses this trust:

“Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, we thank you for bringing us safely to this day. Keep us by your mighty power, and grant that we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but lead and govern us in all things, that we may always do what is righteous in your sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Viet is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.