Inspired by Ephesians 2:14-16
In the midst of our world today, I think it can be helpful to stop for a minute and reflect - do I look like a Christian right now? Am I loving in a way that Christ would love others? Am I valuing others like Christ would? Am I seeking Christ before all else? To be completely honest, I know I can do better. I think we all can do a little better. We MUST do better.
We spend more time arguing about our political beliefs and pushing them on others that we forget Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and He is in full control of it all anyways. We forget that we are here to serve our Lord God above any human authority and we should look to HIM for guidance. We spend so much time complaining about those put into leadership and authority roles that we forget our biggest job is to PRAY for those in positions of leadership and authority.
We spend more time trying to seek out others who hold the same beliefs that we hold ourselves instead of having hard conversations with those who have different experiences and beliefs than we do. We gravitate towards people who believe the same things instead of moving towards the Prince of Peace who is the only one who can possibly bring unity to a diverse body of believers. Yet, when we do encounter someone who believes differently than we do, we avoid the difficult conversations because we are afraid. We are afraid that we’ll stir the pot, therefore our silence becomes just as, if not more, detrimental than our words.
We spend more time talking with others about the things going on in our lives, whether they are big or small, than we spend taking them to the foot of the throne in prayer and giving them to God. We forget that He is the only one who can make sense of the chaos. We forget that prayer is so much more powerful of a solution than anything we could try to dream up.
As believers, we are called to be different, yet at times we are missing the point. In the process of trying to reason through all of the events happening in this crazy world of ours, we forget the One who is truly in control of it all. We forget that the world does not revolve around us, but instead anything and everything that happens on this earth is meant to bring glory to our good God. We are NOT the point. GOD is the point. CHRIST is the point. As Christians, we are all within the SAME body, worshipping the SAME God, and saved by the SAME gospel.
We need transformation. We need revival. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that if anyone is in Christ, the old creation is gone and the new is here. We are made new in Christ. We need to pray for a heart of humility so we can kneel at the foot of the throne, expectant, because we have a God who LISTENS and SPEAKS. We need to check our biases and try to see the world the way Christ would see it. We need to pray for eyes that see, ears that hear, and hearts that break when the world robs God of the glory He deserves. God is LIVING, He is POWERFUL, He is SOVEREIGN. We need to pray for God to tear down our prideful hearts and uproot the weeds that have taken root within our souls. We need to tear down the desires of the flesh and put on the message of the GOSPEL. As believers, we are ONE, members of the same body, and we are co-heirs of the promise in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:6), therefore we need to stand as a unified body with Christ, eliminating any barriers between us as believers (Ephesians 2:14), and standing against the forces of this world. We need to build each other up in love and work as a united body towards a common goal in glorifying God here on earth (Ephesians 4:16). We need to strive to seek to see things the way Christ sees them, to live as Christ did, to walk as He walked.
Today, I am grieved, but I also know that we have a God who is bigger than all of the pain, suffering, and hurt on this earth. God, I pray for you to MOVE.
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Scripture References:
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!
Ephesians 3:6
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:14-16
For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.
Ephesians 4:16
From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
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