May 14

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; — 1 Cor 6:19 BSB

There is a blessed truth in these words: “You are not your own.” You must belong to someone. If God is not your master, then the devil will be; if grace does not rule, sin will reign; if Christ is not your all, the world will be. We cannot roam freely without a master; we are always under the rule of someone. Which is better—a loving Benefactor like God, a tender and merciful Father, a compassionate Redeemer who can save us completely—or a cruel devil, a miserable world, and a wicked heart?

Which is better—to live under the sweet influence of the love of Christ, guided by the gospel's principles, promises, and encouragements, or to live under the delusion of false freedom, with sin ruling in the heart and binding us in chains for the day of judgment?

Even now, there is more joy and peace in half an hour spent with God, in communion with the Lord of glory, reading His Word with a believing heart, or sensing His mercy and favor, than in all the pleasures sin and the world offer. All the entertainments of the world, designed to pass the time and deceive the soul, can’t compare to the joy found in true fellowship with God.