Church -- Let's Pray
After King Solomon died and his son, Rehoboam ascended the throne, God split the kingdom – Judah in the south and Israel in the north. If you remember the story, the division occurred because of the king’s sin. You can read about it in 1 Kings 11.
Scripture is clear that a divided Israel was not God’s original plan. Even after the division, His prophets foretold a time with He would reunite the kingdom. Ezekiel chapters 34-37 are just some examples.
What might have happened if, before the division – or even after it – what might have happened if Solomon, and all Israel, repented, turned from their rebellions and cried to God for mercy?
Knowing the mercy of God as we do, world history would be different.
During the last several months – eighteen, actually – I’ve grown increasingly aware of Church divisions. Baptists, Pentecostals, Anglicans, Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Methodists, Seventh Day Adventists, Nazarene, Wesleyan . . . the list is nearly endless.
I wonder if a fair analogy might be drawn between Israel’s division and the division of the Church that occurred in the early 1500s when Martin Luther nailed the Church leadership’s sin to the door. And I wonder what God might have done if the leadership of the day, as well as the people, repented and cried to God for mercy?
Knowing the mercy of God as we do, world history would be different. The Church would not be divided into a bazillion camps. We would be unified in purpose and holiness, and our world would not be writhing in the grip of Satanic forces as we see all around us.
Yes, there are serious doctrinal differences among us. But how many of those differences are directly traceable to an unwillingness on behalf of Church leadership, then and now – as well as of the laity -- to pray for unity, to seek it as a pearl of great price, as if our very lives depended on it?
To a great extent, it does.
This morning, when I read through the ninth chapter of Daniel, I stopped two verses into his prayer and realized, with minor changes, I could pray Daniel’s prayer for the Church.
The Psalmist wrote long ago: “O Lord, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). The Lord Jesus carried that theme into His High Priestly prayer (John 17): “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. . . . that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
Oh Church -- let us pray for unity. Daniel’s prayer, with minor alterations, might be a good place to start:
“O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets and apostles, who spoke in your name to our kings, our leaders and our fathers, and to all the people of the Church.”
“Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame-the people of your holy Body, the Church, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. O LORD, we and our kings, our leaders and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. Lord, you are merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against you; we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws you gave us through you servants the prophets and apostles. All the Church has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.”
“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the gospels and epistles have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to the Church. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, the gospels and epistles, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.”
“Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of sin with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from the Church, your Body, your Bride. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made your people an object of scorn to all those around us.”
“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the Church that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, for the sake of Jesus, do not delay, because your Church your people bear your Name.”
Amen
---------
Rich
Rmaffeo@comcast.net
Scripture is clear that a divided Israel was not God’s original plan. Even after the division, His prophets foretold a time with He would reunite the kingdom. Ezekiel chapters 34-37 are just some examples.
What might have happened if, before the division – or even after it – what might have happened if Solomon, and all Israel, repented, turned from their rebellions and cried to God for mercy?
Knowing the mercy of God as we do, world history would be different.
During the last several months – eighteen, actually – I’ve grown increasingly aware of Church divisions. Baptists, Pentecostals, Anglicans, Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Methodists, Seventh Day Adventists, Nazarene, Wesleyan . . . the list is nearly endless.
I wonder if a fair analogy might be drawn between Israel’s division and the division of the Church that occurred in the early 1500s when Martin Luther nailed the Church leadership’s sin to the door. And I wonder what God might have done if the leadership of the day, as well as the people, repented and cried to God for mercy?
Knowing the mercy of God as we do, world history would be different. The Church would not be divided into a bazillion camps. We would be unified in purpose and holiness, and our world would not be writhing in the grip of Satanic forces as we see all around us.
Yes, there are serious doctrinal differences among us. But how many of those differences are directly traceable to an unwillingness on behalf of Church leadership, then and now – as well as of the laity -- to pray for unity, to seek it as a pearl of great price, as if our very lives depended on it?
To a great extent, it does.
This morning, when I read through the ninth chapter of Daniel, I stopped two verses into his prayer and realized, with minor changes, I could pray Daniel’s prayer for the Church.
The Psalmist wrote long ago: “O Lord, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). The Lord Jesus carried that theme into His High Priestly prayer (John 17): “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. . . . that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
Oh Church -- let us pray for unity. Daniel’s prayer, with minor alterations, might be a good place to start:
“O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets and apostles, who spoke in your name to our kings, our leaders and our fathers, and to all the people of the Church.”
“Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame-the people of your holy Body, the Church, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. O LORD, we and our kings, our leaders and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. Lord, you are merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against you; we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws you gave us through you servants the prophets and apostles. All the Church has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.”
“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the gospels and epistles have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to the Church. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, the gospels and epistles, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.”
“Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of sin with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from the Church, your Body, your Bride. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made your people an object of scorn to all those around us.”
“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the Church that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, for the sake of Jesus, do not delay, because your Church your people bear your Name.”
Amen
---------
Rich
Rmaffeo@comcast.net
posted by rich at
1:22 PM
1 Comments:
AMEN AND AMEN, IN JESUS NAME!
Even Jesus prayed for unity, and surely Jesus gets His prays answered!.
For His Glory
Gabriele
By
Anonymous, at 5:04 PM
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