WATCHWORD:
1-3 The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. 4-7 He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned: that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-7 The Message
He’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: to be fair, just, merciful, and to walk humbly with your God. And don’t take yourself too seriously—take God seriously. Micah 6:8
Meditation:
Simple Faith and Plain Truth
Is there such a thing as simple faith and plain truth in this age, with politics gone amok, and governments injecting themselves into the family structure? Something is wrong with this.
I recently read an article that asked the question, should church be involved in politics? My impulsive first answer was, of course not! But how can that be? How can we be a Christian institution and see what is happening all around us, and remain silent and uninvolved?
Should church be involved in politics? This is a different question then, Should Christians be involved in politics? That is a question that has an obvious answer, Yes! Think about that. When we accepted Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives we are called upon to carry our faith into every aspect of life, our family, our workplace, and yes into politics. Thinking, believing Christians actively involved in local, state and national politics can only be a good thing.
I look around and it seems there is a great debate within the broader church regarding this very question of being involved. It seems to me that there are different camps formed over this issue and that, congregations are being divided, and in the aftermath, the ministry of the Gospel has suffered.
I think it is interesting to note what Paul instructed Timothy to do. He called Timothy, and the church he was leading, to pray. Prayer was the abiding call of the church. It is the universal call to the Church at large. The Church is called to pray and intercede for all who are in authority. The focus of this prayer was for moral leadership that would allow the Church to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
What has changed? Nothing. Or rather on the surface, nothing. But within the heart, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, the dwelling place of truth, I wonder. We may hear Jesus say, “If you want to follow Me – you have to Follow Me” and for some reason we have a difficult time in sorting out that Simple Faith Commitment and Plain Truth. How can I say that with greater clarity? I can’t. If you want to follow Christ…you have to Follow Christ.
There is more to be said on this and I am sure you have your own thoughts. Let us continue this Watchword topic on Saturday.
Bulletin Board:
There will be a Watchword this coming Saturday.
Prayer for Healing:
Father God, we come to you because the people of this nation and everything in it belong to you. We are not here by accident. You are the one who set us in this nation at this particular time for the glory of your name. But Father, people in this country are turning against each other. We no longer live like brothers and sisters. Brother has turned against brother and child against parent. But your word says that if we humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways you will heal our land. Lord, heal our hearts, heal our land. Remove bitterness and resentment from our hearts and help us to live as brothers and sisters. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
