Daily Worship

Paul’s parting shot: live in peace!

John Povey June 01, 2026 1 0
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2 Corinthians 13: 11-14 (NIV-UK)

11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All God’s people here send their greetings.

14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

What a wonderful way to end a letter! Live in peace! If we were to meet world leaders today, what better parting shot could we offer them but to exhort them to live in peace?

The Corinthian Church had its troubles: there was division, quarrelling, and jealousy.  But the apostle sees beyond all the fragmentation in Corinth to the basic unity of the church. Christians belong to each other. They are part of the family of God, and they ought to act that way, says Paul.

Beyond the rebellion Paul sees the grace and the power of God, who is able to restore people even to the point where they are able to give a holy kiss to one another. That was the standard greeting of their age. Our equivalent of showing Christian love and acceptance may be a handshake or a hug.

Paul closes with that beautiful greeting which is the clearest reference to the Trinity to be found in the New Testament: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” God is known in the unity of the Trinity. God creates unity. God offers peace.

We long for peace in our world. We can anticipate that peace when we reach out with peace in our minds and in our hearts.

 

Prayer:

 

Lord, as I strive to live in harmony with you each day, I look with anticipation for Your love and peace in my life. Thank You for the grace we have in Jesus, for Your unending Fatherly love, and for the guiding fellowship of Your Spirit.

Just as Paul urged the believers in Corinth, may your people together today rejoice in You, encourage one another, and strive to live in harmony. Guide us to embrace one another with genuine affection and respect. As we walk this path, we rest in the comforting promise that You, the God of love and peace, will always be with us. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.