When the apostle Paul met the risen Lord on the road to Damascus, the Lord said of him, "he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel...I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake." Certainly this was the life Paul led as an ambassador for Christ.  As he wrote to the church in Corinth, he had been imprisoned, beaten times without number, received the thirty-nine lashes from the Jews five times, stoned, shipwrecked three times, and the list goes on.  But despite the constant threat of suffering, Paul eagerly served the Lord without fail.

Knowing the road that lay ahead of him, Paul eagerly took up the stewardship of suffering given him in his service for Christ.  But what could possibly motivate someone to take up such a mission? And how can we apply this to our lives today.

In today's lesson from 2 Corinthians 5, we get a glimpse into Paul's motivation for service.  May you be blessed as you listen to it and meditate upon God's Word.