They drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them. (1 Cor. 10:4–5)
As summer hits its stride, my thoughts return to my childhood days, when the calendar promised three whole months of pure freedom. There was no prescribed curriculum, no external goals or expectations, and no one holding me accountable for making the most of every day—just waking up and doing whatever fun thing came to mind. It was pure freedom. I also remember coming to the end of summer with the sinking feeling that I had squandered it—not doing anything truly memorable or worthwhile.
In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul reminded the Corinthian believers of the ancient exodus. He called their attention to how the children of Israel escaped from Egypt into God’s freedom and presence. The former slaves were saved by God as they passed through the waters of the Red Sea, and God then led them by a cloud through the desert. The Israelites experienced both the redemption and the presence of God in a miraculous way—and yet, they still managed to squander that blessing.
The implication was clear: It was possible for the Corinthian believers—as it is for us today—to squander the blessing of God’s salvation in Christ and the privilege of being temples of the Holy Spirit. We don’t have to turn aside to nefarious deeds to squander God’s blessings. All it takes is simply failing to center our lives in Christ.
Be intentional about centering your life on Christ.
Kevin R. Scott is a pastor, author of ReCreatable: How God Heals the Brokenness of Life, and editor for Wesleyan Publishing House. He lives with his family in middle Tennessee.
© 2022 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
