May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15: 5
May this be our prayer and our hope for each other on this Sunday morning. As we look outside and see the beauty around us, our world seems so peaceful and secure, as if all is well. But we know our view is small and our world is not as it seems.
We live in a world of dissension, disunity, and uncertainty – in our homes, in our families, in our communities, in our nation, and in our world. All the things we have depended on and trusted seem to be failing us, and we don’t know where to turn. There is much anxiety and even a sense of fear as we look for answers. We can’t even seem to agree to disagree and respect each other’s opinions. We argue to the point that relationships are strained, and no one can agree on what is best for us.
Yet, there’s one place we can all come together, agree, and feel encouraged – and that is with God. Gratefully, we have His assurance that He knows what is going on in our world and He is always with us. He sees our anxious hearts and hears our prayers. We can trust in Him.
We know that those around us or even the institutions we have put our faith in, often let us down and leave us feeling forgotten, ignored, or betrayed. But if we will focus on God and not on what men can do for us, we will find the hope and strength we need. We can give our concerns to Him and know that our futures will be secure. He will give us the assurance of His love, comfort, and presence with us. We will be able to encourage others as our spirits are encouraged through Him. And hopefully, as we look to Him, we can have one heart, one voice, and one purpose – and that is to glorify Him.
We, as believers need to encourage each other, and we especially need to encourage those who don’t know of His love and grace. May we hold on to the promise that we may not know what the future holds, but we know who holds our future – for all eternity. With Him, our future will always be safe and secure.
Prayer
Dear God, how we need your encouragement and love in such uncertain times. Help us to keep our eyes on you, trust in your mercy and grace, and encourage all those around us. May we glorify your name with one heart and one voice in Christ Jesus. Amen
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