Daily Devotional

“These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots” (Jude 1:12).

The U.S. Forest Service estimated that 66 million trees have died in the Sierra Nevada forest due to a five-year drought. As a result of the lack of moisture, the trees became more susceptible to the at- tack of the bark beetle.

For mountain communities, this means the potential for a fire season full of costly damages. The Forest Service was also planning to spend $32 million on this problem, while the state is looking to spend $11 million on tree removal equipment.

The cost of droughts can be enormous, but the cost of spiritual droughts is even more threatening. Jude, the writer of the New Testament epistle that bears his name, saw this parallel. His letter reveals his concerns for the faithful believers who were facing division (verse 19) as a result of a group of people who were not producing any fruit (verse 12).

This group was not growing in grace because they presumed upon the grace of Christ, using it as an opportunity for sin (verse 4). As a result of their lack of appreciation for the grace they had received, they indulged in sexual immorality and slander (verse 8).

Under the inspiration of the Spirit, Jude identified the root of the problem when he spoke of their lack of the Spirit (verse 19). In contrast, Jude called for the faith that is evident when believers pray “in the Holy Spirit” (verse 20), keep themselves “in the love of God” (verse 21), and respond to this love by working for the salvation of the lost (verses 22, 23).

It is clear from his letter that Jude was so passionate about keeping believers faithful that his warning employed some of the most poetic language in the New Testament.

Dear God, please grant me Your Spirit, that I may not take Your love for granted.