Daily Devotion (August 15, 2024)
2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 (NKJV)
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,
17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
Encouragement, Hope, Strength. The love of God dwells in the life of the one who has accepted Christ as not just salvation but of his life. God loves all people. Jesus went to the cross for our salvation. He, who knew no sin became sin for us “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus said in John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” Make no mistake about it, God loves you.
The truth of God’s love is not to just be talked about it is to be lived. Followers of Christ are to be more than followers, they are to be living out the truth. We are to be living the truth, putting the truth of God to work through our thoughts and actions.
Lazarus did not have to tell people about the resurrection. He who died and was buried was now walking among the people. We who have accepted Christ as our Savior have also accepted Him as our Lord. It is only because of Christ we have the power to tell others about Jesus. Having accepted Christ into our lives makes us a living example of one who was dead in the trespasses and sin of this world are now alive in Jesus Christ.
Lazarus did not have to tell others about being dead and now alive. All people had to do was see him. His life was an example of the love of God. Our lives are an example of the love of God in “every good word and work” God does through us. But I do believe that Lazarus did tell people. We do experience the Love of God when we accept Christ into our lives. As the old hymn, Amazing Grace says, “I once was lost, but now I’m found.”
Christians once were lost and headed into the pit of Hell. But now we are saved through the blood of Jesus. We should be shouting from the mountain tops the love of Christ. Words are cheap though. Our actions speak louder than our words. A little warning to this, self-righteousness is no righteousness at all. Self-righteousness is nothing but dirty rags. Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousness’s are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.”
Let the righteousness of Jesus live in your life. Read the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying (Luke 18:9-14).