Listen to this devotion
Face to Face Moments
In the Word
Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete (2 John 12b).
Of the Word
Your cell phone rings as you read emails. In the midst of the call, several beeps announce the arrival of a text in which your niece invites you to video chat on your laptop. Some call it instant connection while others worry human interaction is suffering.
The apostle John realized the importance of talking in person. He hoped to meet fellow believers … face to face, so that our joy may be complete (2 John 1:12b). Nothing compares to the joy of personal fellowships. The wife reuniting with her military husband knows. Parents welcoming a child home from college know. Families at reunions know.
Why do we gather for worship, Bible study, and fellowship? Because we gain hope and strength by sharing our faith. Nothing replaces the comfort that comes from praying together, discussing scripture in a small group, or sharing the peace of Christ with a handshake. We meet — face to face — to praise our Lord and share His love.
Walking with my Lord
Lord, thank You for the technology that allows us to share the Gospel with more people, but help us also cherish the moments we spend face to face with fellow believers. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Mustard Seed: From Quiet Times to Noisy Love. Jan Struck, author. 13/30 ©2013 Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, 801 Seminary Place Ste. L010, St. Louis, MO 63105. www.lwml.org
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations were taken from the ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
