Refreshers

 DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

REFRESHERS

2 Cor 7:13-16

In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. 14 I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. 15 And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. 16 I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.

NIV

Do we refresh each other’s spirit? That is the truth in this comment by Paul regarding the visit of Titus in Corinth. Can we boast about our congregation to people, telling them that if they come to visit their spirit will be refreshed? Most often any boasting is usually about the pastor, saying how good he is, how his messages are so well done, or about his personality. But rarely have we heard anyone boast about their fellow believers in a church. Rarely have we heard anyone say how much confidence they have in their fellow church members that if someone came to visit, their spirit would certainly be refreshed. Why is that? Do we fail to refresh that visitor? Do we fail to refresh one another? Are we even aware that we should be refreshing each other? What is the purpose of our being in church in the first place? Of course, we are there to worship our Lord, that is the ultimate purpose, at least we think that should be. But do we actually worship in spirit and in truth, or do we simply go to church because that is what is expected, or that is our routine? Perhaps we go because we like the pastor and how he preaches, or we just want to be seen by the pastor, so he knows we were in church? The truth is that we ought to consider that idea that we do not go to church to be served or to be encouraged, or lifted up, but that we go to church to serve, to encourage, to build up, to lift up others, refreshing others so that it is so easy for all of us to receive a guest and they will feel so refreshed in their spirit they will feel right at home. Can we have that complete confidence in each other’s obedience in receiving a visitor that they will be glad, remembering all the affection that was shown to them? If we are failing in this, then we have to improve, and that improvement can only start with one, then two, and on and on affecting each other until we all have become refreshers.