Church life

Opening Prayer – Lord Jesus, thank you for your wonderful love for me and my family. And thank you for your beautiful love for the church. For each and every member in our church. You love us in such a precious way.
Amen

Bible verse – I Corinthians 12:25-27 (NLT)
This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members can care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honoured, all the parts are glad.
All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

Reflection Point – When reflecting upon your church, it starts with our love for Jesus and then our family doesn’t it? Just like we were reflecting last week.

But then it’s all about the people around us. Each and every member. Each person is important and valuable; each one a 10/10 in God’s eyes. And surrounding the church, embracing us, are the Heavenly Father’s hands aren’t they? Can you see them? Can you feel them?

As we feel God’s heart and love for our people, it’s then that he helps us when we’re facing challenges with our Board, or our finances, with a particular person or particular family. It’s then that his heart guides us to love, to forgive, to embrace and to be patient.

There are times we need to take action, to challenge and to call to account. But we do all we can loving and embracing people before that, don’t we?

Prayer – Father, thank you for embracing our church. Move by your Spirit amongst us to bring peace where there’s division, forgiveness where there’s resentment and patience where there’s misunderstanding.

Help us to love and support one another. And help us to focus not on what divides us, but on what unites us, the Great Commission, making disciples of all nations.

Holy Spirit instead of wrestling with one another, help us to wrestle with what breaks your heart; injustice, poverty, those in terrible need and those who have never heard about you.

Thank you for loving us so much Jesus.

Amen