A church united is a church anointed. This was a title of one of my Sunday messages a few months ago. And I was reminded by it again as I meditate on Isaiah 9:
Isaiah 9:21, "Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh; together they will turn against Judah. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised."
Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah once formed the united kingdom of Israel. And because of disunity, the kingdom was divided into Judah and Israel (10 tribes, including Manasseh & Ephraim). And even wars prevailed between brothers nations, there were internal conflicts between Israel's tribes (Manasseh & Ephraim). And because of this prevailing discord and lack of unity, God's hand was heavy upon them.
When there is a prevailing spirit of disunity in the church, we can be sure that the Holy Spirit is driven away by our lack of humility and healthy conflict management. Solution: Once more establish the "headship of Christ" (Reimagining Church) in the church in repentance and reconciliation. The headship of Christ empowers us to take captive of every lofty and prideful thought that sets itself against God. And such is the image painted by prophet Isaiah of Christ's lordship over anyone who put's their allegiance to Him:
Isaiah 9:6, 7, "... And the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Price of Peace ... He will reign ... establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that ime on and forever ..."
Lord forgive us when we isolate ourselves, being deceived that we are on our own. You have made us to be in unity in community.
The Mind of the Melancholeric Man: Musings on Life and Ministry by Patrick Tan
No comments:
Post a Comment