For God�s guidance in the choice of the United States Trade Representative, that our nation may thrive in its commerce with other nations
You crown the year with Your bounty, and Your carts overflow with abundance.
�Psalm 65:11
O Majestic God, Your power and might are beyond the reach of my imagination. You are to be feared for Your majesty and glory. We are in awe of You and Your supremacy over everything. You are the provider of all that is good; You overflow with abundance.
Lord, we intercede now for Your will to be done in the choice of the new United States Trade Ambassador. We ask that You place into position the person who is best suited for this important position. Work in the life of our President-Elect so that he will make the right choice for this vital post. We thank You now for Your faithfulness to our new President. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
O LORD, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me. Verses 1-2
Ephesians 4:1-6
First of all, Paul admonishes believers to "get out there and walk--better yet, run!--on the road God called [us] to travel." And then, "I don't wan't anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere." I love the translation here. I believe it's very fitting. We should all be running down the path that God has made for us. Or if not running, at least walking firmly, with a sense of purpose or direction. Sometimes I feel like the guy who's doing exactly what Paul warns against, here, strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. I tend to do that. I need to get my head and heart together and fix my eyes on the goal at the end of the road. I can't actually see the end of the road, but I can still fix my spiritual eyes on a point off in the distance that lines up with the road as far as I can see.
But the second part of the passage is Paul encouraging us to stick together on this road. Ultimately, we should all be on the same road. Maybe we have different "lanes" on the road, but we should all be going the same direction. In fact, he says, "You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly."
What does inward unity look like? I'm not sure how to answer that. I think that it is a purpose in the heart to be unified with all believers. How is that possible, with the state of the "church" today? It is so divided. And that is something that I am pondering while I read the books I'm reading about the state of the church and how "church" should be done (I'm currently reading Reimagining Church, the sequel to Pagan Christianity). If we were doing "church" right, we would all be unified, wouldn't we? Anyway...inward unity. I'm committed to being unified as much as possible with all believers.
What does outward unity look like? I picture all believers walking down the same road, in the same direction. Honestly? I don't think that's happening right now. I don't know if it ever will. But we can aim for that, can't we?
I know Christians who don't seem to be going down the same road as me, or at least not in the same direction. Some aren't moving at all...just standing there. Some are moving backwards. Some are going off on tangents, in a totally wrong direction.
Finally, Paul says, "Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness." Wouldn't it be great if we could see that in our time?
I'm going to be talking with one of our other ministers soon to see how we can facilitate this. It won't happen all at once, but we should at least try to make strides toward a goal of unity. Without compromising truth, of course...therein lies the danger of "unity."
Help me, Father, to stay on the road. Help me to run down this road, without being distracted by peripherals.
May you be glorified in your Church, Father!
Grace and peace, friends.