In Deed and in Truth - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:16–18 NKJV

In Deed and in Truth
On a visit to Latin America, we met a couple who, along with their son, were serving the Lord in the hospitals in the capital. They distributed gospel literature throughout many parts of the hospital, even the very dangerous area where COVID-19 patients were being treated. They had tremendous opportunities to minister in a physical and spiritual way those who were literally in the last days of their lives, and when many passed, they helped in the removal of the bodies. This service gave them many opportunities to preach the gospel to these dying patients, as well as to the staff who admired their service. In the will of the Lord, the son, a young man in his twenties, was taken home to Himself—this young man was a shining testimony. The parents continue on in their service to the Lord, serving others, believers and unbelievers alike.

How little we understand and practice the laying down of our lives for the brethren! We often read Philippians 2:5–11, which sets forth the Lord as our perfect example; however, we sometimes pass over the previous verses: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (vv. 3–4).

Do we practice this in our marriage relationships? Do we do this in the assembly, deferring, honoring, submitting to, and esteeming others? We know many verses by memory, but do we know them in our heart? Let us love in deed and in truth!

-- Albert Blok