Daily Devotion 11/06/26

Reading: 1 John 2:12-17 as a complete unit. Also reflect on the truth in Acts 4:12 -- that salvation is found in no other name than that of Jesus Christ.
Devotional: The entire arc of these verses points to a people who are secure in their forgiveness, rooted in the Word, and free from the grip of the world -- not so they can be comfortable, but so they can love well. Richard was not reached by a program or a polished presentation. He was reached because a group of ordinary believers loved him through the ups and the downs, through the relapses and the setbacks, with open arms every single time. That is what it looks like when people who know they are forgiven, who have the Word dwelling in them, and who are not chasing the approval of the world, actually live out their faith. The church is not a building where people come to feel good. It is a people sent out to look like Jesus.
Reflection Questions:

• Who in your life is difficult to love consistently? What would it look like to love them the way Richard was loved?
• How does knowing you are fully forgiven and secure in Christ free you to love others without keeping score?

Practical Application: Identify one person in your life who is hard to love and who may feel judged or written off by the church. Reach out to them this week with no agenda other than to show them that they are seen and that God's people have open arms.