Hey Jude!

Scripture Verse that Caught my attention today: Jude 3 Beloved, while eagerly preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

Observation: This entire book has only one chapter and 25 verses. Jude indicates that he was eager to write about salvation, yet only 6 of these 25 verses (the last 6) address the salvation of which he was eager to write. Almost all of the rest of the verses deal with those who are causing divisions. I’m not surprised about Jude addressing the whole division thing, but I am surprised that he didn’t go on to share more about “the salvation we share.”

Application: As humans we often say one thing and do another. We’ll indicate that something, for example, is important to us, but then act in such a way as to call that declaration into question.

In some ways it seems as if Jude had done this and so do a great many preachers, myself sometimes included. We are acutely able to describe what is wrong in life, but have some measure of difficulty articulating the good news of the Gospel. Part of the reason for this may be that some of the good news is not yet clear to us. For example, we have precious little insight into what our future lives with God will be like, other than that it will be good. We have generalities but precious few specifics to offer. And so it’s hard to promise exactly what the future will be. Instead we endeavor to simply remind people to seek and trust in God—more often to give them comfort in the midst of their current human failures than to lead them to the kind of better life that we are almost always at a loss for words as to how to adequately describe. Still, pointing people to Jesus is a mighty fine start, just as Jude himself said at the end: “Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

Prayer: Lord, help me and others who are called to proclaim your word do so in such a way as to lead people to be found in you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: Isaiah 4-5, Psalm 115, 116, & Jude)