Mon., 12/23/13 Devotion (Jn. 13:1b)

Today's encouragement comes from John 13:1b, where we read these words:

" . . . Having loved His own who were in the world, He [Christ] loved them to the end."

This is a beautiful phrase. The Lord Jesus loves His churchmen who are yet "in the world," viz. down here, where it is tough, and where sin and the fall still assault us. This is because the church is "His own." He possesses us, by virtue of His redemption of our souls. And Christ loves us "to the end." He does not give up on us, just because we stumble around, and fail a lot of times.

Is this not a grand and glorious Savior that we serve!? Even as He was anticipating His most grievous suffering (on the cross), He was thinking of His church, and serving us. Let all His people love Christ in sincer-ity; and may we find our peace only in Him.

[Puritan quote of the day: "And in the dispensing of the gospel, espe-cially in the preaching and unfolding of the Word, the riches of God in Christ are unfolded . . . " --Richard Sibbes, in, "Glorious Freedom"]