Embracing the Trinitarian Benediction

A Reflection on 2 Corinthians 13:14

Scripture

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14

Reflection

Paul here gives something far more than a beautiful way to deliver a benediction at the close of a church service. Paul’s desire is that the reader be enveloped in the experiential relationship of the Divine Trinity. Paul’s desire is for more than the believer to experience the attributes of The Triune God (grace, love, fellowship), but to experience God; for the attributes of God are not parts of God or things God possesses. Rather God is indivisibly His attributes; so for the grace of Jesus, the love of God The Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit to be with us is for The Triune God to be with us.

Pause for a moment and consider the grace of Jesus—undeserved, abundant, and

transformative. It is this grace that meets us in our weakness, covers our shortcomings, and calls us forward with hope. When our hearts falter, His grace is a steady hand guiding us onward.

The love of God is not a fleeting feeling, but a constant foundation. It is the source of our identity, the reassurance through storms, and the quiet assurance that we are never alone or forgotten. This love reaches deeper than our doubts and higher than our greatest hopes.

The fellowship of the Holy Spirit is the living connection that binds us to God and to one another. The Spirit whispers truth, kindles courage, and draws us into unity with fellow believers. Through the Spirit, distance and difference dissolve, giving rise to a community marked by peace, joy, and mutual support.

Prayer

Triune God,

Open my heart to fellowship with You. May Your grace, Jesus, shape my responses and actions toward others. May Your love, Abba Father, keep me steadfastly abiding in You. May You draw me into fellowship, Holy Spirit, and empower me to walk in step with You. May all I do, in some way, reflect your Triune glory. Amen.

Going Deeper

Let this benediction strengthen you and be a source of joyful encouragement as you know that wherever you go, the grace, love, and fellowship of our Triune God go with you because our Triune God goes with you.