Devotional on 2 John
by John Young
2nd John
1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:
3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.
4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 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. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
13 The children of your elect sister greet you.
This is a book believed to be written by the Apostle John to the members of a local church (the elect lady and her children). It’s obviously a very brief book and I must admit that I was drawn to 2nd John because of that phrase there at the end of the book in v12, …I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
Of course, we are all ready for this time apart to be done and look forward to being together again and “for things to get back to normal”…whatever “normal" will look like. As this time apart grows, I realize how much the Lord has blessed us as a church and grown us together. It feels very odd that we are not together. I am thankful that the Lord is doing in us and among us.
We as elders have been meeting and checking in on you to see how you are doing and we can relate to John’s comment there in v4, that we rejoice greatly to find you walking in the truth. We are encouraged not only that you aren’t sick and your needs are being met (and if this email happens to find you in a time of need, please do not hesitate to get in touch asap), but that you are remaining faithful. And in our conversations with you, it is evident that you love one another, and long to be together again soon.
But that’s what I’d like to think about for a few minutes. How do we love one another when we are apart in a situation like this?
In verse 5, we see John give the church a command, that is really no new commandment at all, to love one another. But John is apart from them, so how does John love them when they are apart? In v6, he defines what love looks like for them: that we walk according to his commandments.
In my devotional time this morning, I wrote the following:
“Father, the thing I ask from you is that you protect me from malaise. I don’t feel like I’m actually doing anything necessarily wrong, but rather, I just feel very reactionary. I’m just doing the next thing in front of me but seemingly with no kingdom purpose. I want to think your thoughts after you—I want to seek good—I want to be of kingdom use to my family. I want to be refined and after what you’re after—your glory."
I don’t know if you have had any of those feelings…I pray you haven’t. But as I look at 2nd John, I believe this is how we love one another: by walking according to his commandments; by fighting against the ever-present temptation to spend our days becoming amateur infectious disease experts and instead endeavor to know the Lord better.
Ps 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
I have been encouraged by the devotionals the elders have sent out and encouraged in my love of the Lord:
I was encouraged by Pastor Larry in his devotional on James 4:13-17: I recognized that I am quick to trust in things other than God’s grace and consistent character.
I was encouraged by Pastor Geo’s devotional on Psalm 27, to seek the Lord’s face rather than staring into my fearful circumstances or into the comfort of a full freezer or pantry.
I’ve been encouraged to memorize Psalm 39:4-8 “…O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!…”
This is how we love each other, by hearing the word and responding to it, growing in our own love of the Lord and then praying for one another that they may do the same. As I pray through the directory, very frequently I’m praying Colossians 1:9-11 for you:
…Asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worth of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy…
I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete!
I’m praying for you…pray for me.
Love to you all.
John