Friday, July 26, 2024

2 John 1:4-5

“Let us all love one another.  This is no new command I am writing to you; it is the command which we have had from the beginning.” 2 John 1:5 (GNT)

I read a story about a church which had called a new pastor. After he had been serving the congregation for 6 months, one of the members asked the pastor what he thought of their congregation. The pastor replied by saying that he could not understand why there was so little joy being expressed by members of the congregation. We are supposed to be the light that shines out of the darkness. It doesn’t appear that we are really the dazzling light we are supposed to be because of Jesus. No one even seems to be excited about the years of ministry which are in the past. What kind of surprise and shock do the folks need to offer the kind of love which is astonishing and out of the ordinary? The person asking for the assessment was grateful for the honesty of the pastor and said, “I guess we fail to see the obvious?

So with this 2 John 2:4-5 text in mind we need to think about the “wake up calls” which we need to create for ourselves and others. I always like to ask the question:  “What isn’t happening in your life that maybe needs to be happening? Remember, a bad day for the ego is a good day for the soul.” There is the new self and the old self which we have to focus on each and every day. All of us were created to feel high and lifted up. We can be alive to God and dead to sin. All of us need to think about how we train the brain.

Questions for Reflection:

• One of my favorite quotes is: “Be a fool for Christ and enjoy divine hilarity.  What comes to mind when you entertain that quote in your mind? Theologian William Barclay says, “If you are going to follow Jesus, you will be absurdly happy, you will be completely fearless, but you will always be in trouble.” Is that a challenge that you like to discuss often with fellow church members?

Prayer

Lord, we need to be divine irritants. Help us prod one another in the most loving way so we can be intoxicated with the love of Jesus. Enable us to remember that those who walk in darkness have seen a great light. Amen!

LoveJoy