May 4: Jude 1 1-2
Key Verse: Jude 1 1
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:
Devotion:
How often do you keep in touch with people who move away from you for one reason or another? I assumed when I left my country of birth the people I knew would keep in touch, but was a bit disconcerted to find out they did not. I learned the truth when someone I knew and loved moved away to the other side of the world. Nowadays we have the internet and social media and I find I am able to catch up with many people, but back then we would have to write letters to each other…
When we move away to a very different place or lifestyle, we are effectively starting off again in a new place where we have to find our feet, meet local people and get to know them. They may well be from very different lifestyles to your own and it will probably take a lot of getting used to – you find you have to go above and beyond in many cases to make local friends. This takes time and energy… In many cases we do work and we do not see the results we want to because life is so very different to what we are used to!
So what keeps us going? What is it that makes us keep going when the world around us seems to be falling apart? What gives us the strength to continue in the face of such adversity? Not what but whom! Yes, we have Christ with us and we can gain buckets full of strength and grace to carry on, but we also need a bit of support from others in our lives. Speaking from personal experience, I can tell you how very important it is to hear from the people you have left behind, not so you can carry on being the same, but to be different and make a difference locally.
It does not matter what line of work we are in, be it running a hotel, programming computers or being a missionary – hearing from people does inspire you to make that difference you were seeking when you first moved! So what do you do to the people who have moved away from you for various works?
Points to Ponder:
Do you have a friend who moved away to do something for God?
Do you keep in contact with them?
May 3: 3 John 1 1-4
Key Verse: 3 John 1 1
The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
Devotion:
Once again we assume we are reading the words of John, not because he calls himself by name, but because of his loving character. John writes to Gaius, an elder himself whom he met at some stage and who he has grown to love with a deep Christian love. This is a love which I see as being the full care for someone you know, but not just care but full trust and knowledge this is someone you can trust wholly to deliver the true gospel to others.
Can you name one person you know who is a Christian and who does whatever they can to ensure they are telling people the truth as much as the can. I have been fortunate to know quit a few people who do go out of their way to make sure others hear the gospel and get to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour. I’m not including the people who continue to tell me how many people they have led to the Lord or those who keep a personal tally – I am talking about those who create and keep loving relationships with the people they know.
During this global pandemic we have seen the results of the people who keep tally rather than truly car about the people they come in contact with. We have seen the results of greed and pride which shine through all the best words and talks to show up true colours of people. Don’t try to fool yourself into believing you can hide your true colours behind pleasing looks or carefully crafted words because God is making sure the truth comes out!
I do love the way John has introduced each of his letters with full love and trust but never forgetting just who is behind that true love and trust – our eternally faithful and loving God! His love for people goes beyond words and is deep set in the real care for the people he has got to know and love through the church. So, today, lift up the people you know and love through the church, lift them up to our loving Saviour and ask Him to wrap His arms around them while we cannot!
Points to Ponder:
What do you think people think of you?
Do you know God wants them to know the real you?
May 2: 2 John 1 1-3
Key Verse: 2 John 1 2
because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:
Devotion:
The letter continues in the same way John seemed to live his life – with open love for all Christians! This is the one thing which unites us in a way nothing else will. We don’t choose our family because they are chosen for us, but when we are willing to open our hearts to that love outside of our normal circle of friends, we open our lives to the love which Christ continues to want for us.
Over this time when we have been locked down and our lives have been turned upside down through things beyond our control, we have learned to love in ways which we had left behind. When we first heard we were going into isolation the world seemed to go mad and the greed of many showed up in ways we had not seen openly before – but that greed had always been there, just in a form we ignored politely!
But as we continue to see the pain other have to endure because of our actions or because of their selfless actions, we begin to understand what this Christian love can be. What we need to do is to link the two together in our hearts and minds – the love for those who need it and the love which Christ is calling us to have. Once we link these together we can look further into our Saviour and the will He has for us in our lives instead of focusing on ourselves in our usual selfish ways!
So today our task is to open up our hearts just a little bit more – something many of us fear because of the bad or sad times we have had to endure when we last opened up our lives to others. Christ taught us we should continue to forgive people who are willing to try again – this is hard when we fear what will happen, but we need to trust in God to guide us on the best path forward with His love at the centre!
Points to Ponder:
Who have you recently ignored because of your hurt?
Will you allow God to give you the love to share with others?
May 1: 1 John 1 1-4
Key Verse: 1 John 1 2
The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
Devotion:
And now for something completely different! Just when I was thinking the beginnings of the letters were starting to be too similar, BAM! Although the author does not write his name down, we can assume this is John because of the way he writes – he includes love for Christ in everything he writes or shares! John is known for his love for Jesus and his recognition of His position as being the Son of God. His reference here to the one who was there from the beginning is clear recognition of Christ.
I think I am a lot like John in how I love the Word of God. All my teachers is the past would testify ho bad I was with reading and remembering anything; but reading my bible is more of a love than a chore! Finding out how much God has done for us over time and seeing how His love extends to the furthest corners of the world inspires me to find out more. I think the first book I read from cover to cover and did not want to put it down was one of a handful of books I have actually read cover to cover (yes, just one hand!) That book was a novel based on the reality of metal fatigue in aircraft -it had me engrossed because I just wanted to know more!
This is the way I find myself with my bible – I want to find out more, I want to see what happen, I want to find the roots of why and I am loving every step I take in reading it – no matter how may times I read it! The more I read, the more I find out and the more my love for it grows. I really do think this is how John felt about finding the truth from Jesus and living it out… it just made sense and explained so much!
John wanted people to know everything he felt and so he writes in a unique style which conveys his love for Christ. I used to find it very difficult to work out my feelings, and still do, so I took to writing stuff down – no on paper, but on computers. Much of what I write never makes it to the open because it gets deleted before anyone sees it, but it helps me to begin to understand myself!
Points to Ponder:
How do you cope with your feelings?
How would you go about sharing your feelings for God?
April 30: 2 Peter 1 1-2
Key Verse: 2 Peter 1 1
Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
Devotion:
How do you regard your faith and your relationship with Christ? Simon Peter starts off this letter by acknowledging the preciousness of his faith in Christ as Saviour and God. If we are not going to be up front with our beliefs then we are not going to pass on our beliefs to many people! One of the things Peter learned the hard way is being honest about God and about Christ, no matter what the circumstances are!
One of the most important lessons I learned as a Christian youth worker was to include young people in the conversation and not to talk at them. As teens go through school they are talked at by many teachers and they switch off to the words coming out of the teachers mouth, just because they are not being included. Mention a name or two and they refocus! But more important than mentioning people’s names when you talk with them is to include them in a conversation…
Peter is doing that here by inviting people to read who have received a faith as precious as his. That’s saying they are part of the same group of Christians and not an after thought or something akin to that! If you are going to talk to someone giving them an insight about Christianity, then talking about Christians as if they are separate from everyone will not win you any friends or ears! But saying something as simple as “as Christians we believe...” will include all Christians and will invite the person in too.
Jesus made sure God was included in discussions by making sure He mentioned God as being The Father or part of Him. There is that personal link being established which would make sure the disciples and other people listening would always think of God when they thought of Him.
Points to Ponder:
Do you talk with people are at them?
Will you talk with others about our friend and Saviour Jesus Christ?