Monday, January 16, 2023

FOr JAnuary 22, 2023 -- Week of Prayer For Christian Unity

 

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE
God, you have called us to be the church,
part of a single body with many parts, working together to advance the Kingdom.
You have called us to be united in our diversity,
not all the same, not always agreeing, but still working for a common goal.
But if we are totally honest...
we sometimes do diversity better than unity, sometimes we divide ourselves into camps.
We proclaim, “I follow Luther” or Calvin or the Pope or Wesley,
or I am United, or Lutheran, or Presbyterian, Evangelical or Progressive
Each thinking that our way is the right way, or the best way, or even the only way.
And too often quick to point out the flaws of other ways.
For those times we divide the Body of Christ, when we break the unity we are called to build up,
forgive us, lead us to repair and rebuild the broken body.
...time of silent prayer...
Here is Good News: Though we are good at building walls God is good at tearing them down.
The church may seem divided but Christ is not divided.
God calls us to share our gifts as part of a larger whole, God is at work building a unified Kingdom and God keeps inviting us along for the ride.
In grace our divisions are overcome and we are called to be the church.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

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