A New Devotion on Our Prayer Line - Healing

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

1 Corinthians 1:10-19

Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."

Healing

Personally I think the United States desperately needs a little bit of healing now-a-days. I mean, not since the late 60s, early 70s have I seen our society more divided than it is now. And I think these divisions center on what the United States stands for and what it means to be an American. And even though the political and cultural divisions are bad enough, this divisive spirit has effected the Body of Christ, with some Christians anxious to jettison basic moral and economic principles so that they might support a certain political agenda. Sadly, these fissures threaten the stability of our congregations but also undermine our ability to share the gospel of Jesus Christ within a world that desperately needs some good news. Christians seem more interested in trying to convert one another than in telling others about the grace, mercy and love of God.

And for that reason, I think it’s particularly important for us to listen to what Paul wrote to the Corinthians. You see, he challenged those believers to look beyond their own personal feelings so that they might be united in the same mind and the same purpose. And even though overcoming those things that separate us has always been challenging, with God’s help, I believe it’s possible, especially when we remember that the idea of self-denial and radical humility will always seem like foolishness regardless of our political persuasion. You see, we can claim the words of Paul and focus on healing, starting right now.