Note the remarkable relationship Moses (and the people through Moses) enjoyed with the LORD who had delivered them from Egypt. Also, the Psalms of Moses (90 & 91); “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (90:12): then noting the opening words of Psalm 91, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High … will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust’”. Moses is the ultimate Old Testament example of one who achieved an intimate relationship with God.

And now in Paul’s heart searching letter we read of his distress at their minimal progress toward spirituality, so like Moses’ experience with God’s people in the wilderness. “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he (or she) is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Chapter 3 starts, “But I, brothers (and sisters – footnote) could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ” (verse 1).

He deplores their lack of unity, their failure to work together under the guiding hand of Christ as he was doing. “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (verses 6,7). He goes on to state, “For we are God’s fellow workers” (verse 9). Visualise that! As such we work together to build God’s spiritual house which is only seen by the “eyes” of those who have spiritual vision.

God laid “the foundation … which is Jesus Christ” (verse 11). “Let each one take care how he (or she) builds upon it” (verse 10) whether it be “gold silver … hay, straw” then “the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done” (verse 13).

What does verse 15 mean? “If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he (or she) … will be saved, but only as through fire”. What is our work? It is the same as Paul’s at Corinth, to witness, to bring people to Christ beginning with our children. The time appears to be very short; let us become more spiritual, more zealous to build.