Unity is a gift

Unity is a gift, and it comes from God. 

We are in dire need of unity today…in our marriages and families, our communities, our churches and our nation. In scripture we learn how God blessed His people with unity.

Hezekiah sought God’s guidance and blessing.  And God blessed: “Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what was ordered… following the Word of the Lord.” 

Paul also wrote about the unity of believers: “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

So I believe unity needs to start with us, believers, asking for and being willing to seek it in our relationships – first, with each other.

Heavenly Father, I ask for unity in our church.   As we make decisions about our future, our finances, our lives of serving and ministering together, give us agreement in these areas.  Help us see our circumstances from Your perspective.  And regardless of what the world would say, give us Your wisdom.  Remind us to put our faith not in numbers or schedules or the plans of men, but in You.   

In our church, many plans can be prayerfully considered, but only Your plan counts.  And only You can bring it to pass.  Father, honor the desire of our church to bring Your kingdom into our community.  Show us how to most effectively do that.

Help us make all who come feel welcome and make a place for them to learn and grow and use their God given gifts and talents in our fellowship.

Lord God, I ask for unity of Your believers.  So many things divide us.  Even as one body, we are many people with many opinions.  We are overcome with the world.  We fight each other over things that are disputable until the world sees an inconsistent, arguing, critical body that they want to avoid at all costs; instead of being drawn into Your love and Your care for them. 

You give us endurance and encouragement in Your Word.  Let us draw on Your Word’s truth to live our lives. 

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”  Father, bring us this hope.  Bring it into our relationships, our families, our church, our nation.  

Remind us to make time to read the Scriptures so we might receive this encouragement.  Let us learn so we will have the endurance we need.  Give us patience and humility so we can be used by You.  

And as we live and work and serve together, we can be a model for others. It will take work. And we need God’s help. Through Him we can have the encouragement, the endurance, and hope for our future.

Praying THROUGH the Pandemic

Praying THROUGH the Pandemic

 

Take one letter of the word THROUGH each day for a week, and pray the topic that starts with that letter.

I have written out a prayer for each topic you can pray aloud, or use it as a springboard for your own words to pray.  The Lord may draw you to other topics as well.  Listen for the Holy Spirit to guide you in your prayer time.

This is certainly not all inclusive, but I believe it’s a way God has shown me is a good place to start.

T – Total Control

Heavenly Father, we acknowledge that no matter what the circumstances here on earth look like, or how they seem to us, that You are in Total Control.  Even in the midst of this pandemic that has spread over the entire world, You have not forgotten us.  You are not wringing Your hands wondering what to do.

Thank You that You are a loving, sovereign God who we can come to in prayer at any time.  And thank You that Your presence can be anywhere and everywhere at the same time  – so You can be with each one of us to hear our prayer and lend support: encouragement, comfort and discernment when we need it.

Thank You that even when things around us seem to be chaotic and discouraging, just Your presence can bring us peace.

Father, help us see Your hand at work in each of our lives.  Bring each one of us answers to our prayers.  Give us understanding of how to live and make decisions in these unusual and difficult times.

While we face this huge challenge, remind us that You, who created the universe and each one of us, are still on Your throne, still love us and are in Total Control.

H – Health

Lord, so many people have become ill with this Covid-19, and so many have died, that it is easy to be fearful.  We are asking You to safeguard our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.  And that of our loved ones.

Protect our bodies.  Some of us are pretty healthy but worry over the effect this virus might have on us should we contract it.  Others of us are older, more fragile with failing immune systems and diseases that make us much more vulnerable physically.  Fight for us against this virus that would ravage our health and put our lives in danger.  Keep us safe from exposure.  Provide whatever medical support we need to arrest any infection or corona virus activity.

Father, mentally and emotionally this pandemic is taking a toll on us and our loved ones as well.  So many are dealing with anxiety and depression again or for the first time due to the extreme isolation, lack of close support of family and friends, and loss of jobs, income, and the routine of life that kept them going.

Please provide the needed support for those who have been side-lined by mental issues that further strip them of the ability to work and cope with the challenges of life during this pandemic time.  Lead them to the medical guidance or counselors who can help them with appropriate medications or therapies.

And still many are battling trying to reconcile their faith in light of this pandemic. It seems so much has gone wrong all over the globe, they are questioning where You are in all of this?   Do not let the devil get a foothold through this.  Rekindle our faith – remind us of Your faithfulness to us in the past.  Remind us of Your promises in the Bible.

R – Relationships

Father, show us how to maintain our relationships with those who matter to us and have influence in our lives.  Thank You for bringing us friends, co-workers, neighbors, who impact us on a personal level.  For our churches and neighborhoods and families who keep watch over us and care for us.

When person-to-person contact isn’t wise, remind us to reach out to others in ways that keep us connected and close.  A lot of people have been using Zoom and Face Time and other advanced technologies, thank You for that.  But remind is to also make time and reach out with phone calls, emails, texts, and old-fashioned written letters or cards that we can hold and feel a tangible sense of someone’s care for us.

Some of us have kept working – many from home – so we are still busy trying to get work done with the complications of being at home with all the distractions and less-than-optimal working conditions.  For those there doesn’t seem to be as much time in the day to keep up social relationships.

Some of us have lost jobs and have time on our hands but no real interest in discussing our situation while trying to deal with the stress of making ends meet and the depressing state of our lives.

Some of us are retired and also have time on our hands but have gotten into new routines that no longer include socializing, so remain detached from friends.

At some point Lord, we pray this will all be over and life will get back to “normal.”  But until then, please show us how to maintain connections with our friends and family members so we don’t lose the closeness and positive impact they have on our lives.

O – Others   

Father remind us of the truth of what has been said over and over again –“We are all in this together.”  Let that be a guiding influence on the decisions we make in how we respond to the medical advice we get that show how we can all beat this virus and move forward.

Thank You Father, for those people who make our lives work by putting themselves at risk.  Thank You for the doctors and nurses, and healthcare workers, administrators and the cleaning teams who keep the hospitals and medical and care centers running. Thank You for those who keep our utilities – water and electricity and gas – supplied to our homes and businesses.  And who collect our trash and deliver our mail.

Thank You for all those who allow us to get the food we need – grocery store workers and restaurant workers.  And who protect our communities; our police and fire and emergency responders.

Lord, there are so many people who work behind the scenes who we don’t often see to recognize.  Bless them.  Father, protect all these people who continue to serve, from this virus.

Even those who seem to be the most fragile among us, have lived lives and served in their own way, and have value.  Do not let them be overlooked as a disposable generation.  But impart to us all, the value that every life has.

None of us gets through this life alone.  We all depend on others to help us along the way; encourage us, pray for us, teach us, correct us.  Thank You for putting people in our lives to help us and for us to help.  Let us see how we all impact one another with the decisions we make.  And let us consider others and build on that as a strength as we all fight this pandemic.

U – Unity

Father, there has been so much dissent and disunity over issues regarding this pandemic.  Simple things that would have had a more powerful impact, like quarantining, limiting social contact and wearing masks have become so politicized.  I don’t understand it.  It seems simple, logical science.  Yet misinformation has spread like wildfire in the name of personal rights and freedoms.

Help us join together to seek the common good rather than insult and tear each other down.  Help us see that the virus is the enemy – not our Facebook friend, church member or political party.  Help us be teachable, patient, and make every effort to be at peace with each other as we fight the true enemies we face:  this pandemic, and disunity.

Lord, please bring sense and order out of the chaos.  Bring the truth to light.  Dispel the darkness.  End the strife between political opponents who seek to further their own agendas.  Before it is too late and we lose the battle for life and health in our families, our communities and our countries.

G – Governments

Father in heaven, help all the national leaders and government heads who make decisions about the care of the people in their jurisdictions.  Bring them wise counselors to advise them, who have an understanding of the reality of this pandemic situation.  And the steps needed to fight and conquer it.

Help governments have an honest concern for their people, and communicate truth to them, without political motives.  Show them how to instruct and motivate their citizens to do what is best for their health and economies, to end this pandemic sooner rather than later.

Give the local and world health organizations the wisdom they need to make the best recommendations, supported by science, in a non-political way so that treatments can reach around the world helping everyone.

Let doctors and scientists and governments and corporations all work together on a worldwide basis to find an answer to this pandemic.  Do not let money or national boundaries or political ideologies get in the way of progress for a global solution.

Father, do not let political agendas or abuse of power be tolerated when the lives of people hang in the balance. Let the evil of the wicked come to an end.  Intercede for those whose governments are corrupt.  When treatments or vaccines are offered, ensure that everyone gets them.

H – Heart

Heavenly Father, make this a time in history when the hearts of men, women and children are turned to You.

It‘s so easy to turn away from pain, poverty, disease, and injustice in the world.  We put our heads down and try to make it through one day at a time with our own problems and challenges.  But this is a time in history when the focus of the world IS the world!  And how this pandemic has spread across national boundaries, political regimes, and affected people of all languages, economic statuses and beliefs.

Father, as we come face-to-face with the probability of illness and death, turn our thoughts to eternity.  Give each person on earth a glimpse of their standing with You and how they will spend eternity.

Send dreams and visions all around the globe that reveal an understanding of who You are.

Put Bibles in the hands of people in languages they can understand to spell out Your way of salvation.

Call to people’s minds scripture and truths they learned – recently or long ago, maybe as children – that taught them of heaven and hell.  And of Your great love for them that sent Your Son to die on the cross and make a way for them to believe and receive the free gift of a salvation for an eternity spent with You.

Ezekiel tells us You will remove our hearts of stone and give us a heart of flesh.  With the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.  Father, go into every place where this pandemic has reached, and soften every heart.  Show every person who You are and how to be saved.

And those of us who are already believers, soften our hearts to understand Your purpose for our lives during this time.  Give us a unity of Spirit to see where You are working, and work alongside You.

Strengthen our hearts to follow You wherever You are leading us, and to do all You show us to do.  Our lives are different in this pandemic.  Show us how to use this time to honor and worship You.  Give us undivided hearts to bring glory to You.  Amen