Devotions: 3 John
A devotion based on 3 John 1:3.
John was not just a theologian, he was a pastor. As much as he liked to talk about God, he also was very interested in what was happening with people. This letter was written to a church. Churches were not like today, large congregations with their own buildings. Churches were small groups that met in houses, where everyone knew each other. John had heard about the faithfulness of his people and it filled him with joy.
What is a pastor’s heart? A heart is identified by what fills it with joy. John’s joy came from the news that his people were walking in the truth. What fills you with joy? Is it a healthy budget? More people in the pews? These are good things but they are not central to a pastor’s heart. For John, it was seeing the spiritual growth in his congregation. That is a pastor’s heart.
