Regardless of how we ‘be and do’ church, our first work is to pray and love. Nothing else will touch others and prepare the way for Jesus to draw them. Nothing else will actually make a difference in the world or in the lives of people. Nothing else can change us or those we love. Nothing else can and will change neighborhoods and nations.
Pray
- Pray and seek Him
- Pray and draw near
- Pray and ask for guidance
- Pray and listen
- Pray and ask for the Holy Spirit
- Pray and ask for the Spirit to draw others
- Pray and ask to be used
- Pray and ask for the grace to love others
Love
A relative told me about meeting Billy Graham many years ago when she was a staff person in a government office. She said that what struck her most, besides his wonderfully blue eyes, was the way he had of talking to you like you were the only person in the room. His love was felt by his focused attention.
But love is a bigger topic than a blog post, or a book, or even a thousand books. The bottom line is that we, the church, need much more of it. It is a fruit that we long and ask for so that, when all else is said and done, God himself is glorified because we have grown in our capacity to express his love.
Perhaps if we can get prayer and love in its right place, the church becomes fully what it is meant to be without, really, any further instruction.
