During this holiday season, as we catch up with friends and loved ones, we are likely to wish them well, and that they have good health, as John does in verse 2. And we rejoice when we hear good news about those we love.

But notice what brings John the most joy: he is most interested, not in his readers’ physical health but in their correct knowledge of God. He then rejoices that they have put this knowledge into practice, expressing their love for God by loving and caring for those who spread the truth of Christ. He is thus much more concerned with their spiritual than their physical well-being.

So, what about our own priorities? We often inquire about our loved ones’ physical healing, but how interested are we in their prayer life or their growth in the doctrines of grace? When we make our own New Year’s resolutions, how many of them revolve around diet and exercise, and how many are focused on prayer, study, and service? And when we make our end-of-year gifts, how interested are we that the gospel would go forth in our communities and in our world?

So, while we take stock of our waistlines and our time management, let’s also take a look at our relationship with God, the One Who loved us enough to come into our sinful, broken world, the One Who comes into our sinful, broken lives to heal us with His truth. And in this New Year, let’s resolve to draw nearer to Him and to others in truth and love and service.

III John 1:2-8 (ESV)

2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5 Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are,
6 who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.
7 For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.
8 Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.