Transparent
Tonight was such an uplifing night. I went to Wednesday evening church. There were only about 20 people there and the events of the service were very similar to Sunday morning church--singing, prayer, a message. However, the part that I was impacted by the most was at the very end when the speaker (this is typical for them every week) asked for prayer requests from the group. Like 10 hands immediately went up into the air. One by one each person was "called upon" and spoke from the heart. There were requests for prayers for upcoming exams, thankfulness for healing of the sick, gratefulness for God's protection (literally, someone's life was being threatened and God was steadfast), blessings for friends, and prayers for family members who had strayed from the church.
I guess I was so touched because I thought about how hard it would be to get people in the United States to do this. I mean, to REALLY let their hearts be open and give REAL prayer requests. Americans are experts at pretending. Americans are professionals at living like they have everything under control. Americans are good--and especially the younger generation. I can say this because I'm often the same way. We don't want anyone else to see our hurts, our worry, our dirty laundry--because it makes us vulnerable. It makes us feel like we are weak and less than worthy. Yet how far from the truth is that? Paul tells us in Corinthians that "If I must boast, I will boast of the thinks that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying."
If our original creator and ultimate judge knows our intimate stuggles and requests, why are we so shy to share that with others? Even more so, with our church family?
So let us be transparent.
Something else I've been reminded of during this time is about community. We go to church for our Lord. For communion with Him and to take a break out of the busyness of the week to be with Him and praise His name. That's why we go. BUT community is the other part of church. It's the companion reason to our main purpose for going. Community is what uplifts us, community is what keeps us strong, and community is not only what binds us together but it's what unites us in an unbreakable bond. We need each other. We are united. We focus on the Lord vertically, but we are horizontally connected through a powerful network.
My community with my Brazilian family and Brazilian church family are unbreakable, priceless, and I am so thankful for them.
It's more than easy to break away from the Lord if you don't have horizontal support. Community is enouraging. Community is essential. Our horizontal relationships support our vertical one.
So let us be a completely transparent community. The opportunity to have this is one of God's greatest blessings to His people.
I guess I was so touched because I thought about how hard it would be to get people in the United States to do this. I mean, to REALLY let their hearts be open and give REAL prayer requests. Americans are experts at pretending. Americans are professionals at living like they have everything under control. Americans are good--and especially the younger generation. I can say this because I'm often the same way. We don't want anyone else to see our hurts, our worry, our dirty laundry--because it makes us vulnerable. It makes us feel like we are weak and less than worthy. Yet how far from the truth is that? Paul tells us in Corinthians that "If I must boast, I will boast of the thinks that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying."
If our original creator and ultimate judge knows our intimate stuggles and requests, why are we so shy to share that with others? Even more so, with our church family?
So let us be transparent.
Something else I've been reminded of during this time is about community. We go to church for our Lord. For communion with Him and to take a break out of the busyness of the week to be with Him and praise His name. That's why we go. BUT community is the other part of church. It's the companion reason to our main purpose for going. Community is what uplifts us, community is what keeps us strong, and community is not only what binds us together but it's what unites us in an unbreakable bond. We need each other. We are united. We focus on the Lord vertically, but we are horizontally connected through a powerful network.
My community with my Brazilian family and Brazilian church family are unbreakable, priceless, and I am so thankful for them.
It's more than easy to break away from the Lord if you don't have horizontal support. Community is enouraging. Community is essential. Our horizontal relationships support our vertical one.
So let us be a completely transparent community. The opportunity to have this is one of God's greatest blessings to His people.
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