Your Sunday Chapel

A Woman Confesses Faith at a Chinese Church in Queens, New York. I will never forget the remarkable outpouring of the Holy Spirit in that place. Founded in the late 1600s by Dutch Reformed settlers, the congregation now hosts Sunday services in various tongues. Indeed, it was a Pentecost experience: many tongues, many people groups, and one Savior bringing Christian unity out of Babel’s curse.

In today's devotional, we explore the nuanced life of Joash—a king lauded for his piety yet flawed for permitting idol worship to persist in Judah. If you're grappling with the feeling that you're still not "enough despite your best efforts," then Joash's story is a lesson and a warning written just for you.

So, in the shadow of Joash's life, we're prompted to ask: What will our legacies be? Will we be remembered for a promising faith that ultimately fell short? A life built on good works but devoid of true faith? —M. Milton, When Good isn’t Good Enough

But even in Joash's failure, there's a beacon of eternal hope. The story graciously guides us to the eternal Temple restored through Jesus Christ—our true sanctuary where He resides as the ultimate sacrifice. Are you feeling spiritually incomplete or inadequate? In Jesus, you will find your wholeness.

As we reflect on 2 Kings 12, we're urged to confront two critical possibilities that could define our lives:

1. You may identify as a believer, but are your actions devoid of the Spirit's fruit? This spiritual gap suggests a superficial faith, leading us to question the depth of our relationship with God.

2. Conversely, you might be a person who emphasizes good deeds but lacks the cornerstone of authentic faith. If you're clinging to the notion that your works alone can earn you salvation, this devotional serves as a wake-up call. Only through Christ's saving grace can our deeds find their true purpose, becoming a heartfelt expression of our boundless thankfulness for God's unmatchable gift of salvation.

So, in the shadow of Joash's life, we're prompted to ask: What will our legacies be? Will we be remembered for a promising faith that ultimately fell short? A life built on good works but devoid of true faith? Or will we leave behind a life that testified to a profound, life-changing relationship with Christ?

If you're hurting, questioning, or simply yearning for more, let's journey towards a legacy sculpted by God's transformative grace—a legacy of genuine faith adorned with actions that glorify our Heavenly Father.