Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 13
2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
This is the benediction to the second letter to the Corinthians. It is a wonderful prayer and blessing desiring the full weight of our God’s wonder to fall upon the Corinthians. Here we see the Triune God that we know and worship, Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Lord Jesus Christ – Paul prays that the grace of Jesus be with them. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. It is by grace we are saved (Ephesians 2:8) and by grace that we stand in him (Romans 5:2). He sits upon a throne of grace that we can boldly approach to find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). His grace is sufficient for us in our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). His grace makes us strong to face the trials that come (2 Timothy 2:1).
God the Father – Paul prays that the love of God would be with them. The Bible says that God is love (1 John 4:8). His love for the world is the reason he sent his Son, Jesus to die as a sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16). When we see the cross, we see God commending his love to us, even while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8). The love of God is given to us as a gift in our hearts (Romans 5:5). This love that God gives to us will never fail (1 Corinthians 13:8). There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).
The Holy Ghost – Paul’s prayer for the church is that the communion of the Holy Ghost be with them. The word communion is also translated ‘fellowship’ in other places. The Holy Ghost gives us communion because he lives in every believer (John 14:17). Because the Spirit of God lives in us, we are the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16). He baptizes us into the body of Christ and makes us one in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). This brings us into a fellowship where we are led by the Spirit of God in a common direction (Romans 8:14). The Spirit leads us to bring glory to God as he brings forth the fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23).
Paul was praying for the work of God in the lives of his children to be seen and experienced. May these be ours today.
In Christ,
Rody
