Friday after the Last Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Scripture: 1 John 3:19-24 (NKJV)

19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. 24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Devotion

As we draw to the end of another Church Year, we recall all we have learned following the One Year Lectionary. We have heard the Advent of Christ; His birth of the Virgin Mary: God becoming man! We saw His Epiphany to the Gentiles; His Transfiguration. We had time to reflect on sin and the suffering/Passion of our Lord throughout Lent; followed by Palm Sunday and Holy Week; all culminating with the joy of another Easter Resurrection. This was followed by Pentecost, Trinity Season, Reformation, All Saints; not to mention remembering all the faithful departed Apostles and saints.

These seasons and celebrations pointed believers in the direction in which one has ample opportunity to see a loving God, the reason for Christ’s existence; and the work of the Holy Spirit. We heard the Law and the Gospel, sins exposed, and were comforted by hearing that Christ was/is the atonement for the sins of the world of which you and I are a part. Having heard how God has justified us freely and given us faith to believe through the Word proclaimed and the Sacraments administered. We live each day in repentance, remembering our Baptism, strengthened through Christ’s Body and Blood to live a holy life, trusting that God remembers our sin no more. As we wait for Christ’s return may He enable you to believe in His Name as you love one another. For this is the will of God.

We pray: By grace! This ground of faith is certain; So long as God is true, it stands. What saints have penned by inspiration, what in His Word our God commands, what our whole faith must rest upon, is grace alone, grace in His Son. Amen.