2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Hosea 4:1-5:15 ESV, 2 John 1:1-13 ESV, Psalm 125:1-5 ESV, Proverbs 29:9-11 ESV
Daily Verse: “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.” (2 John 1:9 ESV)
DIDACHE (1322): “This word denotes “teaching,” either that which is taught, “doctrine”; or the act of teaching, instruction.”[1]
Act of teaching.
Jesus spent three years teaching the disciples and His followers how to live, putting aside their desires to love God and others. Placing faith in Christ starts the transformation journey as we put His teachings into action in our lives.
Recently, hubby and I enjoyed a night out at a comedy club, watching an improv act. Running into an old friend, our relationship broken over hurtful words, he off-handedly apologized to me for “whatever he said that hurt my feelings.”
As I processed his apology, my friend beside me said, “You have to forgive him because you’re a Christian.”
Abide in Christ.
Acknowledging Christ as Lord and Savior means abiding by His teachings. Jesus’ grace leads the way for our connection with God. Without forgiveness, we can’t have reconciliation.
“and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12 ESV)
Following Christ means I must forgive even hurtful, cruel remarks that pierced my heart. Abiding in Jesus’s teachings identifies me as one of His. I explained to my friend, “I do forgive, but it’s a struggle.”
If we refuse to forgive, we run ahead of God and miss the reward He offers. The peace that surpasses all understanding only comes when we follow Jesus’s teachings. And when we struggle to abide, we can ask God to help us.
Jesus helped me forgive; He will help you as well. Laying our pain at the foot of the cross allows God to use it for His good. Healing comes as we embrace Christ’s love for us and intentionally share it with others, trusting God’s promises will stand the test of time.
Whatever situation you face today, ask God to help you. Put into action Jesus’s teachings, watching in amazement as God uses you in ways you never imagined. Experience the joy that comes from following Jesus.
[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 68) Thomas Nelson
