Christ Church Daily Devotion April 27 2024

In today's Daily Devotion, we read from Titus 2:11-14. It talks about the grace of God that offers salvation to all people. This grace teaches us to live godly lives and say no to ungodliness. It also mentions the hope we have in Jesus Christ, who gave himself to redeem us and purify us. John Wesley taught about different types of grace: convenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace. This passage reminds us to be open to God's guidance and to strive to be His people. The worship option for today is a verse from a hymn by Charles Wesley. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for April 27, 2024. Today we will be reading from Titus, chapter 2, verses 11-14. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness, and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do good and was good. In the theology that John Wesley taught his people and pastors, he emphasized an understanding of grace as being God's activity and guidance in our life, and that is available to us throughout our life. Convenient grace is God at work in our life, before we even know our need for God. Think about family, teachers, and pastors who taught you about God. Justifying grace is that free gift of God's forgiveness and reconciling love that puts us in a right relationship with God. Sanctifying grace is the continuing guidance the Spirit gives us in how to live as God's people, moving constantly toward perfection in love. This passage from the Letter of Titus speaks to me of this sanctifying grace. As we are open to the leading of God's Spirit, we can be sure that we are being guided and challenged to grow and mature in the way God taught us to live and relate to people. Verse 14 puts it well. Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness, and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. May we all do our part to learn to be his people. Your personal worship option today is, here is the last verse of a Charles Wesley, John's brother, prayer hymn titled, Love Divine, All Love's Excelling. Finish then thy new creation, pure and spotless let us be. Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee. Changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place, till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love and praise.