(3 John 1:5-6 NASB) - Godly Sendoffs

(3 John 1:5-6 NASB) "Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God."
(Luke 6:23 NASB) "Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven..."

For the first time tonight I understood the importance of greeting those who are new to the congregation. Perhaps they are just visiting for that service.........perhaps they are looking for a church home........perhaps they have fallen away from the Lord and want to rejoin His Family...........whatever the reason, it is important for me to reach out to them and welcome them.

Not only are they in most cases my brothers and sisters in Christ and part of His vast Family, but they, for whatever reason, have chosen our congregation from which to be fed from the Table of the Lord. That should be a cause for celebration for me.............the Lord has allowed me to meet another of the many millions that make up His church.

But John "kicks it up a notch" with his last statement............not only are we to make others in the Family feel welcome, we are to "send them on their way in a manner worthy of God." Just dwelling on that statement for any length of time causes my head to swim.

Those words cast the whole matter of how I should regard others in the Family in much brighter light. Back in 1 John.....the apostle said........."And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also." (1 John 4:21 NASB) So if I profess to love the Lord, I must love my brother or sister also because they are children of His.

All of this causes me to be much more diligent in making an effort to meet others who are visiting or new to the congregation. I know my Lord wants me to do it now..............He derives pleasure in seeing me extend a greeting to another of His............and He blesses me richly each time I do.

Love in Jesus,

Jim

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"But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired." (1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB)

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

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This devotional was originally posted on CCI-Devo - Daily Group Devotionals on September 14, 2004 in post #648. It was written by Jim Ross, a former United Pentecostal Church member, who attends Christian Challenge International, the sponsor of the devotional group. The devotional is the copyright of Jim Ross and is reprinted on this site by permission.

Page added July 30, 2005

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