January 12 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Paul is not speaking about the kind of secret knowledge that some cults and secret societies claim. The hidden wisdom is the gospel, the good news about Christ. This wisdom of God is Christ crucified, the Son of God who died for our salvation. This wisdom was hidden; nobody could know it until it was revealed. And nobody could think it up, because it was the wisdom of God. God had prepared salvation in a way that shows his wisdom and makes a mockery of the salvation schemes of all religions. No eye had seen it and no ear had heard it—the death and resurrection of Christ.

At the cross, all the powers of sin were pitched against Christ. He was not a mere individual who died a horrible death; he was the head of a new humanity. He acted as the representative of his people. Then he arose. Again, he was not a mere individual who returned from the grave; he was the beginning of a new harvest.

In the death of Christ, then, the last power of Satan was spent; in the resurrection of Christ, the first power of God was manifested. The gates of a new age opened at that moment. Heavenly power descended. The Holy Spirit brings new and everlasting life to all who believe in Christ.

This is the gospel. The way of salvation in Christ has now been revealed. It is being proclaimed in simple words, and it is sown all over the world as seed over a field. It is by this Word that humanity must be saved and the world restored.

We must take time and effort to appropriate that gospel, to make it our own. And since it is only by the Spirit of God that we learn the wisdom of God (vv. 10-13), we must beg for the Spirit while we study God's Word.

Reflections

Are you taking "time and effort" to make the gospel your own? Have you asked the Spirit to help you as you study God's Word?

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.