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Day 88 of the Women’s Bible Plan: Read 2 John 1-6 and reflect on “the elect lady and her children.” Through John’s greeting and exhortation, this devotional helps women consider how families and churches are called to love one another in the truth, and how love is not merely a feeling, but a life of faithful obedience to God’s commandments.
🌸 Dear Sister, welcome to Day 88 of our reading journey.
🌸 Dear Sister, welcome to Day 88 of our reading journey.
Sometimes we easily understand “love” as a warm feeling, a close relationship, or a comfortable way of getting along with others. But biblical love is deeper than emotion and more truthful than outward peace. In 2 John, the apostle John repeatedly holds love and truth together, showing us that love from God does not depart from truth, and those who hold fast to truth must not lose love.
The opening of 2 John is addressed to “the elect lady and her children.” This lady may refer to a real Christian woman, or she may represent a local church. Either way, this short letter reminds us that faith is not meant to remain only in the private heart. It is meant to shape the home, the community, the next generation, and the life of the church.
As we read about the elect lady and her children today, we are reminded that God not only calls us to know the truth personally, but also to love one another in the truth. He not only calls us to walk with Him individually, but also to help our families and churches see what faith looks like when it is lived out.
A Minute of Grace
A Minute of Grace
2 John is a very short letter from the apostle John, yet it is full of warmth and exhortation. John calls himself “the elder” and writes to “the elect lady and her children.” He does not love them merely because of personal affection, but “for the truth’s sake,” and he says that this truth dwells in us and shall be with us for ever.
Several important words appear repeatedly in this passage: truth, love, commandment, and walk. John makes it clear that Christian love is not an emotion without direction, nor is it a way to preserve relationships by abandoning truth. True love from God is rooted in truth, and a life that holds fast to truth will also obey the commandment to love one another.
The title “the elect lady” is especially meaningful. She may have been a faithful Christian woman, or she may represent a church chosen by God. Whichever understanding we follow, this letter shows us that God cares deeply about spiritual life in both the family and the church. Her children are mentioned, and John says that he rejoices greatly because he found some of her children walking in truth, as they had received a commandment from the Father. This means faith was not remaining only with the mother or the previous generation; it was beginning to shape the next generation.
From the perspective of “Women in the Bible,” the elect lady reminds us that women can carry important spiritual influence in the home and in the faith community. She is not presented merely as someone’s wife or mother, but within the spiritual context of truth, love, children, commandment, and walking in obedience. Her household, her children, and her community are all connected to love in the truth.
Today’s theme, “The Elect Lady: Loving in the Truth,” invites us to reflect: Is our love rooted in truth? Is our faith shaping our homes and influencing the next generation? Are we learning to treat one another in the church with love that is guided by truth? God does not call us merely to say, “I love you.” He calls us to walk according to His commandments and live out love in real life.
Whispers for the Heart
Whispers for the Heart
1 John says he loves the elect lady and her children “for the truth’s sake.” Is your love rooted in truth? In family, friendship, church, or ministry, do you sometimes avoid truth in order to keep outward peace, or hold to truth in a way that loses gentleness and love?
2 John rejoices greatly when he finds some of her children walking in truth. How is your faith influencing your family, children, younger believers, or the people around you? From your words, choices, emotions, and way of treating others, can they see that truth is not only something to be taught, but something to be walked in?
3 John says that love means walking after God’s commandments. Have you ever understood love only as emotion, sacrifice, or tolerance, while overlooking obedience to God? Is God reminding you today to love someone in a more truthful, holy, and faithful way?
As you read 2 John 1-6 today, do not see this short letter as only a greeting. Let it remind you that families need love in the truth, and churches also need love in the truth. A sister’s life does not only affect herself; it can influence children, family, fellowship, and the wider spiritual community.
Take a quiet breath before you begin. Bring your family, church relationships, the next generation, and your struggles between love and truth before the Lord, and let His Word meet you there.
Today's Grace · Morning Dew 🕊️
Today's Grace · Morning Dew 🕊️
“I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.”
— 2 John 1:4
🎞️ Today's Youtube Video
🎞️ Today's Youtube Video
🪕 Response Hymn: The Fear of the LORD Is the Beginning of Wisdom
🪕 Response Hymn: The Fear of the LORD Is the Beginning of Wisdom
2 John 1-6 (KJV)
2 John 1-6 (KJV)
1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;
2 For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
A Quiet Moment of Prayer
A Quiet Moment of Prayer
✨ Thank you for walking through today’s Scripture with us, dear sister.
2 John 1-6 shows us the apostle John writing to the elect lady and her children, reminding them to love one another in the truth and to walk according to God’s commandments. Now, let us bring our families, churches, relationships, the next generation, and our learning in love and truth before the Lord in prayer.
Today’s Prayer Focus: Learning to Be of One Mind in the Lord
Today’s Prayer Focus: Learning to Be of One Mind in the Lord
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Letting My Love Be Rooted in Truth
Father, thank You for reminding me through 2 John that true love cannot be separated from truth. Many times, I think love means making others comfortable, avoiding conflict, meeting expectations, or constantly giving in my own way. But Your Word shows me that when love is separated from truth, it can become people-pleasing, compromise, or emotion without direction.
Lord, purify my love. In my family, friendships, church, and service, help me not to love from fear of people, and not to love in ways that control others. Teach me to love in Your truth. Help me not to hold doctrine coldly without compassion, and not to abandon principle weakly in the name of kindness. May my love have tenderness and boundaries, mercy and holiness, patience and obedience to Your truth. Amen.
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Letting My Life Influence My Home and the Next Generation
Lord, John rejoiced when he found some of the elect lady’s children walking in truth. Please help me value the influence You have given me in my home and among the people around me. Whether or not I am a mother, and whether or not there are children or young people near me, remind me that my life may become a window through which someone else sees the truth.
Help me live out genuine faith in ordinary life. Teach me to rely on You under pressure, to be humble in conflict, to repent after failure, to forgive in relationships, and to obey in my choices. May my home, my words, my emotions, and my decisions be increasingly shaped by Your Word. May those around me not only hear me speak about faith, but also see how I walk in the truth. Amen.
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Interceding for Sisters
Interceding for Sisters
Father, I also pray for the sisters around me. You know that many sisters are carrying spiritual influence in their families and churches. Some are leading children to know You. Some are learning to love in marriage according to truth. Some are walking with the weak in fellowship. Some are serving quietly in the church. Some are trying to hold together love and truth in complicated relationships.
Lord, strengthen them. If they feel lonely in the home, comfort them. If they are weary in church service, renew them. If they are struggling between love and boundaries, gentleness and truth, give them wisdom. Help us as sisters remind and support one another, not pressing each other with human standards, but learning together in Christ how to love according to the truth. Amen.
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Praying for Families, Churches, and the Next Generation
Compassionate God, I also pray for families, churches, and the next generation around the world. Many families lack love in truth. Some have love but no direction; some emphasize principles but lack grace. Many churches also struggle with division, coldness, compromise, or the temptation to lose love.
Lord, bring Your truth and love back into homes and churches. May parents and children walk together with more spiritual companionship. May husbands and wives grow in honesty and grace. May churches live with greater unity and watchfulness. May the next generation not merely inherit religious forms, but truly know Christ and walk in the truth. Make more families and churches into lights, witnessing that love in Christ is not an empty slogan, but a life lived according to Your commandments. Amen.
🪕 Response Hymn: The Fear of the LORD Is the Beginning of Wisdom
🪕 Response Hymn: The Fear of the LORD Is the Beginning of Wisdom
💡 Closing Thought · Let Love Have the Root of Truth
💡 Closing Thought · Let Love Have the Root of Truth
After reading 2 John 1-6, we see that the apostle John does not separate love from truth. He holds them closely together. The elect lady and her children are reminded that love is not a pleasant feeling apart from truth, and truth is not a cold principle without love. A life that belongs to God loves in the truth and walks in love by obeying His commandments.
As we close this page and return to our homes, churches, and daily relationships, perhaps what we need today is not to say more spiritual words, but to love more truly in one specific relationship. Perhaps it is not to win an argument, but to walk gently in truth. Perhaps it is not to hide conflict, but to learn before God how to live with honesty, forgiveness, boundaries, and obedience.
May today’s Scripture remind you that God cares how you live out love in your home, church, and relationships. May your love be more than emotion, with roots in truth. May your truth be more than principle, carrying the gentleness of Christ. May you and those you influence walk together in the Lord’s commandments, learning to love in the truth.
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