We live in a litigious age. Billboards and TV ads encourage us to hire a lawyer to “get your fair share”. The Bible clearly speaks to this, and through it God warns us that we risk losing his Kingdom when we do. This should give us pause. This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice in it and humbly trust God’s word over our feelings. I invite you to get a Bible – in print or electronic – and start working through all or part of the prayers, scripture reading, questions, and devotional reading below. May the Lord bless you as you do so. And may the Spirit of God work in each of us to shape us to be a little more like Jesus, today.

— Praise God with Me: (1)
God of life, thank you for calling us to belong to something so much bigger than ourselves.
Thank you for your church in all times and places.
May our thoughts, words, and lives today bear witness
to the kind of love and unity that your desire for your people,
through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

— Let us read and reflect on Scripture:
A little background: Chapter 6 of 1st Corinthians was written to a church of recent converts. They were struggling to leave their previous worldly, pagan ways behind them. Paul addresses the problem in his letter. Would they be, would we be, humble enough to receive the rebuke? With this in mind, read the text and answer the questions.

Come Holy Spirit, help us to see what’s at stake and live more wisely.
I Corinthians 6:1-11

— Answer these four questions:
What does this passage say about God?
What does this passage say about people?
As a result of this reading, what is one step God is inviting you to take?
Who is one person you will tell about that step today?

— With a Heart of Prayer, Let us Respond: (2)
Lord Jesus, by the power of your Spirit, do what ever work you need to do in us such that you are our first love and our primary obsession. From that place of devotion, with the help of our brothers and sisters in church, lead us to live differently than the world. Help us to accept your word and to imitate your ways so that we might do your works and demonstrate your great love for this world. Amen

— Let’s Gather Wisdom from One Who Walked with Christ before us: (3)
Also, beware of desiring anything other than God. Jesus said, “If your eye remains single your whole body shall be full of light.” Do not allow the desire for tasteful food or any other pleasure of the senses, the desire of pleasing the eye or the imagination, the desire for money or praise or power, to rule you. While you have the ability to feel these desires, you are not compelled to feel them. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free!
Be an example to all of denying yourself and taking up your cross daily. Let others see that you are not interested in any pleasure that does not bring you nearer to God, nor regard any pain which does. Let them see that you simply aim at pleasing God in everything. Let the language of your heart sing out with regard to pleasure or pain, riches or poverty, honor or dishonor, “All’s alike to me, so I in my Lord may live and die!”
Do not even give a single thought of separating from your brethren, whether their opinions agree with yours or not. Just because someone does not agree with everything you say does not mean that they are sinning. Nor is this or that opinion essential to the work of God. Be patient with those who disagree with you. Do not condemn those who do not see things just as you do, or who think it is their duty to contradict you, whether in a great thing or small.
O, beware of touchiness, of testiness, of an unwillingness to be corrected. Beware of being provoked to anger at the least criticism, and avoiding those who do not accept your word.

— Let this glorify God today: (4)
May the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together— spirit, soul, and body— and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he will do it! Amen.
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Sources:
(1) From The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources, edited.
(2) Original
(3) From Loving One Another, John Wesley
(4) From 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, The Message, as found in The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources.