Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 3 John 1:1-4.

“The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.  For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.  I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”  3 John 1:1-4.  

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We can and should pray that we and others “be in good health”.  But, what is most important is that we and others are “walking in the truth”.

We can do both and should do both.  “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.”  Verse 2.  

But, the biggest danger is that we focus too much on physical health and too little on spiritual health.  We and others may exercise hard for one to two hours or more every day, and we admire our and their physical condition.  But, do we have comparable spiritual devotion and do comparable amount of spiritual exercises?  Do we admire as much spiritual condition as we do physical condition?

“for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”  1 Timothy 4:8.

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.” Proverbs 31:30.

The whole world mourns about the lack of good physical health during this current coronavirus pandemic over the last 20 months or so.

But, has the world mourned about the lack of good spiritual health over many more years? 

We do not like wearing masks over our face.  

But, we have not minded wearing veils over our hearts, minds, and souls.

“But their minds were hardened;  for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.  But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;  but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”  2 Corinthians 3:14-18.

“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”  2 Corinthians 4:3-4.

“I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”  Verse 4.