Thurs., 5/21/20 Devotion (2 Pet. 3:18a)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Peter 3:18a, where we read these words:

" . . . But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. . . . "

How does a church *grow* in "the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Sav-ior Jesus Christ"? Certainly, by being well-fed. The context of Peter's injunc-tion (above) is largely that of the proper use and understanding of the sacred Scriptures (of the OT and the NT).

Christians *grow* when they ingest God's Word—their being hungry for its nourishment. The written Word, which is the base and foundation of the church's preached Word, always points to the Incarnate Word (the "Logos," of Jn. 1:1). This Messianic "Word" is the ultimate Revelation of God. Only He (Christ) can "feed” us, His church. He feeds us His own "flesh" and "blood," in the preached Gospel, and in the proper administration of the sacrament of The Lord's Supper.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Every godly, gracious man is a praying man.”
—William Bridge, in, "A Lifting Up for the Downcast"]