March 5, 2015: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

We encourage you to read this devotion three times a day.  Start in the morning and reflect upon the morning reflection question. Then in the afternoon, read it again and reflect using the noon question for reflection.  For the evening, take time to ponder how this has resonated with you in the day and reflecting using the evening question.  We offer a prayer with each devotion for you to pray or we invite you to pray what is in your heart.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written,
‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
   and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’
²⁰Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. ²²For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, ²³but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. 

 

Reflection:

Have you ever had that moment where you felt so foolish?  I know I have.  It leaves me questioning the rest of the day. What was I thinking?!  I am left embarrassed.  Thinking over the event over and over again. What could I have done differently?  Allowing my brain to be overtaken by the rolling thoughts and questions. In this brief passage, Paul mentions foolishness five times: “foolishness to those who are perishing,” “made foolish the wisdom of the world,” “the foolishness of our proclamation,” “foolishness to Gentiles,” and “God’s foolishness.” I think the foolishness that we experience in our faith is thinking that we can handle things on our own.  We believe that we have been gifted with abilities and gifts from God….and that’s enough.   However, the message of the cross is that God is ready to be care for us.  We remember that even in the foolishness, there’s God’s wisdom to learn from.  We learn to humble ourselves, maybe laugh at ourselves, and hopefully turn to God.

Reflection Questions:

Morning: When have you felt foolish? How did you feel?

Noon:  How has God worked in your foolishness?

Evening:  How can you seek God’s wisdom?

Prayer: Loving God, we give thanks for the moments in life we can learn from.  We pray that You will help us to laugh at the times we have been foolish, learn from the times we haven’t included You, and help us to know Your wisdom.  We are thankful for you and hope to grow closer to You. Amen.