(posted by KB)
The Psalms for today’s lectionary are quite extraordinary to read in light of the incredible conflict, confusion and sense of hurt and anguish over the outcome of Friday’s business session at the ACC.
There were many passages in today’s Psalms expressing outrage at injustice and crying out in anguish at being “trampled on” that I could have quoted. But what really leaped off the page at me this morning and greatly encouraged my heart was this declaration of our Lord’s power and majesty and the reminder that He is still at work revealing His glory to the ends of the earth, each morning and evening.
Psalm 65: 5-8
5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness,
O God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas;
6 the one who by his strength established the mountains,
being girded with might;
7 who stills the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
the tumult of the peoples,
8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.
You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.
***
Almighty Father, the schemes of man are as insignificant as dust to be brushed away compared to the awesomeness of Your majesty and power. Lord Jesus, You commanded the roaring waves and winds of the Sea of Galillee to be stilled. Still our hearts today and help us to stand in awe and thanksgiving of and for Your glory. Still the tumult and confusion of the ACC meeting and demonstrate to all present that You reign. Comfort and encourage the hearts of those who feel trampled on and help them to find strength in Your steadfast love and faithfulness. May all who love You be reminded of Your sovereignty and Your promise that You will build Your church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. May we be working to see Your kingdom established even to the ends of the earth and today be proclaiming Your glory and Your victory.
My greatest desire and prayer for the Church has been and will continue to be for the reconciliation between Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant Christianity and all their various splinters.
Isaiah 62:1; Isaiah 62:6-7; Psalm 122:6-7
This is, I believe the prayer of the Lord of the Church. In John 17, John 17:11; John 17:21-23 and John 17:26
The Church was given the ministry of reconciliation…I pray it will begin now…as the world darkens with the spirit of the anti-christ…we will need each another.
God’s grace, love and truth are more than sufficient for the task of reuniting His Church.
It is my belief that the differences between the Anglican orthodox can be overcome – the relatively slight ones between the CP and CCP as well as the greater ones between them and the Continuing Anglican groups.
It is only the stubbornness and smallness of human minds and hearts, the extraneous walls that we build, that stands in the way of Christian unity. [I am talking about those operating in Gospel Faith, Scriptural truth and Biblical morality...not heresy, apostasy, pluralism and syncretism...trying to fashion their own church, gods, worship and morality.]
Those who can truly and whole-heartedly pray the prayer of Jesus, known as the Lord’s Prayer or the Our Father, can be one as The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are One.
May it be so, for it is certainly Thy will, Lord Jesus, that we may be one as Thou and the Father are one. Amen