Last week I was speaking at a church women’s group in Woodstock when cell phones started sounding with the warning of a potential tornado issued by Environment Canada. We paused to pray that God would keep everyone safe and as the wind and rain continued outside, we continued our meeting. We were talking about how we can give community to others as we are prompted by our faith in Jesus to care beyond ourselves. Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:13-14 urge those who choose to follow Jesus: ”You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world…”. This is a challenge for us to flavour the world in which we live with the taste of God’s love for them and for us. If we are to be light in our world then we will need to reflect the light of God’s own Son Jesus. In order for this to happen, it is necessary for us to “LET GO OF WHAT WAS” in order to “TAKE HOLD OF WHAT IS”. Afterwards, we were sharing experiences of when a tornado struck the Woodstock area back in 1979.At that time, people did respond with care and concern for each other. People’s homes had been destroyed and some churches were heavily damaged. In the process of rebuilding, neighbours and strangers reached out to help each other. I am aware that we are called to pray for and to love each other and this does have us moving beyond the walls of where we feel safe and secure. I am very grateful that people were safe that night last week both inside and outside the walls of that church. If we are going to build community that is both loving and caring in God honouring ways, then it does begin with prayer. It will involve us getting to know people in our communities and not just making assumptions about them. We can spend time thinking about how things used to be and times when more people seemed committed to being more committed to God. What we have to work with is how things are now and how God calls us to be salt and light in our world now. Will we take hold of what is and the opportunities that God presents us with now to offer His love and care to those around us? Please plan to join us in our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER tomorrow June 21st at 1 pm when we pray the prayer below and invite God to show us how to build community as He intends.
Thanking God that He is the One Who inspires us to build loving community, Pastor Lola
Thank You God that You call us to be salt and light in this world in which we live. Thank You for our personal encounters with Jesus Who came to be Light in the darkness. We know how much we need Your grace in order for the Light of Jesus to shine through us. Thank You for ongoing reminders of what it can look like to be salt and light where You have placed us. We do understand that this cannot happen unless we are praying for and caring for people around us. When we consider what it could look like to give people community, we know that we need You to guide us in how this will happen most effectively. We pray that we will take time to notice what is happening with others and how they feel. When people we encounter are sad, please remind us to take time to listen and to sit with them in their sadness. When people we know feel misunderstood, please guide us to take time to understand. When we disagree with someone else, we pray that will not be an excuse not to love that person as Jesus loves. Our God we see such potential for you to impact us and those around us, if we are praying for Your will and way. Forgive us for the times that we huddle inside where we feel safe and comfortable instead of being willing to go where You need us to go and to be with people with whom You want us to share Your love. We think of ways that those of all ages can receive Your love through us. When the flavour of Who You are is missing, please help us to bring that distinct taste to conversations and activities. When the Light of Your loving Presence seems hard to discern, please reignite our light to burn brightly for You. When we keep returning to previous experiences of faithful living for You, challenge us to move into new territory in order to embrace what You are doing now. We will need courage to take hold of what is and our part in it. Please do Your Divine arranging in order for this to happen. With all the other demands that whisper and clamor for our attention, please establish within us a commitment to prayer and action. We look to see how You will continue to use each of us to give community and a place of belonging to You through faith. Yes, Lord we do want to become more like Jesus Your Son in Whose Name we offer this prayer. AMEN.