Lord, Help Us To Be The Church Jesus Prayed For
 

Do you have “go to” Scripture passages? You know, the ones that readily come to mind. I have some, and I find that they tend to be the filter through which I see and interpret current events – personal, family, church society. You will immediately recognize the Bible lens I am seeing through these days. That’s because you’ve heard me use it before as I seem to come back to this passage over and over. You also recognize it though, because you’re very familiar with it.
 
In John 17 we find Jesus in this very intimate conversation with His Father. In their conversation, Jesus is talking to the Father about you and me – The Church. My prayer these days is, “Lord, help us to be the Church Jesus prayed for in John 17.”
 
As we continue to journey through the Covid-19 pandemic, I think we can all see clearly how different aspects of the pandemic have polarized our society and it is seeping into the life of the Church. Whether it’s to vaccine or not to vaccine, or to mask or not to mask, or the government is anti-church or not. I cringe at the conversations I’ve caught a glimpse of on social media. So much so, that I just simply stop reading them – For the sake of my soul. So don’t be offended if I haven’t seen your post, positive or negative. I’m talking about Christians, including pastors and leaders adding fuel to the fire that only serves to stoke the flame of disunity in society and in the Church of Jesus Christ.
 
Church, we cannot afford for the enemy of our souls to use this pandemic to bring disunity in the Church. Jesus prayed that we be ONE just as He and the Father are ONE. If ever there was a time that our communities need the Church of Jesus Christ, it’s now. People are weary. Many are discouraged. Some are struggling with mental health issues because of all they’ve experienced. Others are hurting financially. Relationships have suffered. We just cannot afford to get bogged down in the mire of beating up on each other. We are not called to uniformity, but the Church of Jesus is called to be the unified bride of Christ.
 
Let Jesus be concerned about our individual rights and the rights of the Church. He said He would build His Church. His call to us is that we go and make Christlike disciples. If that’s going to happen, then…
Our communities need a church that displays the ONENESS that Jesus prayer for in John 17.  
Our communities need a church that shares the good news of Jesus Christ – Not a complicated dissertation, but the simple Gospel that the Holy Spirit then infuses into the hearts of those around us. 
Our communities need a church that offers HOPE in a time when it’s sometimes hard to find  
 
One of the prayers I have been praying daily is the Prayer of St Francis 
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: 
where there is hatred, let me sow love; 
where there is injury, pardon; 
where there is doubt, faith; 
where there is despair, hope; 
where there is darkness, light; 
where there is sadness, joy. 
 
You’ve heard it said that “The pen is mightier than the sword.” My prayer for all of us, is that before we pick up the 21^st century pen called the keyboard, that we would pray that prayer – Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. I close my reflection with the second part of that prayer.
 
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.