City Life Starter

The Word

¹⁵ For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, ¹⁶ I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. ¹⁷ I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Ephesians 1:15-17

Love for All God’s People

Paul heard about the church in Ephesus from others that came to him with news of how they were doing. It was so good, that Paul wrote back to the church to express this encouragement. They had a love for all God’s people. This is amazing to read because when we look at our own church, what is something that we want others to hear about us? Would this be the love we have for each other? All of God’s people? How amazing would this be with the diverse church that we have?

The love for others begins with the love for your brothers and sisters. You have to practice loving those who worship with you before anyone else. How can we show love to the world if we cannot even do so within our own church? I want our church to be like the church in Ephesus. To have others come to us and say, not only that we are diverse, but that we have this love for each other that goes beyond any social, ethnic, or racial barriers. That we can cry with each other, pray with each other, and laugh with each other, to the point that those who see us want to know how we can have this bond of love within our church.

If there is any prayer we can pray today for our church, it is to cry out to God and ask Him to give us the ability to love one another and to forgive each other more than we have before. To reach out to our hurting members and be there to support and to care for them like they would be our very own children. To love them like Christ has loved us. We have an opportunity to be an example for the Kingdom of God within this city. Let us be this light.

Seeking Wisdom

I spent this month of May reading through Proverbs. Chapter 30 hit me at the right time as it was on this past Saturday. I need the Bible and God’s Word to humble me at the core and remind me where I should go for answers.

“I am weary, God,

    but I can prevail.

² Surely I am only a brute, not a man;

    I do not have human understanding.

³ I have not learned wisdom,

    nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.

Proverbs 30:1-3

Agur son of Jakeh knew exactly his limitations as a human being and that there was no way he could ever equal the wisdom of God. That we cannot attain the knowledge of the Holy One and that there is nothing we can add to His words(verse 6).

So, as I am writing this for our church, in regards to the issue of racism in this country(and the world), I am reminded that I do not know it all. I cannot understand everything at play. Though, what I do know is that God is in control and He holds all wisdom and knowledge. I can but trust in Him and lift my hands up to Heaven in worship. To be the light in this world and stand for what is right and what is holy. Walking hand in hand with my brothers and sisters who are born in the image of God and are created beautifully and perfectly as God intended.

Prayer

Thank you Father for your Love and help me to show that love to my church and to all around. In Jesus’ name, Amen.