A World Full of Prayer
God has placed in my heart a passion for prayer and for bringing change to our world. With the resurgence of prayer movements with IHOP in Kansas City and the 24-7 Prayer movement God is doing something and the question is simply, will I be a part or will I sit on the sidelines. I am continually saddened by the divisiveness of the world that we now live in – liberal vs. conservative, democrat vs. republican. Being a seminarian at a Lutheran (ELCA) seminary it is amusing for me the views that I hear and how I am looked upon. Because I hold a high view of scripture I am a conservative evangelical fundamentalist, but when I speak theology with family and friends that are what could be viewed as fundamentalist I am a liberal protestant all the way. Amusing, I must say, but in my view this is the perfect place to be.
Within the ELCA I believe far too much energy and focus has been on this whole homosexuality thing and much of that has been perpetuated by the very vocal GLBT movement that has been pushing for acceptance and a turning away from traditional and scriptural understandings of homosexuality in order to create a full “acceptance” of GLBT people into the church through blessing of Gay Marriages and Ordaining Gays and Lesbians in committed relationships. This has created a movement that has taken focus away from Jesus Christ where it belongs and placed it on an emotional divisive argument. An ecclesiastical argument if there ever is one in my opinion.
God has been calling me, as He has many, to a movement of prayer. It is a time that we need to focus on the Bridegroom and be an effective and loyal bride unto Him. In prayer we can truly serve our communities in the preparation for mission to those in need and give the promise of our Lord to all people. The idea of acceptance and tolerance needs to be returned to focus on God’s understanding and away from the emotional response that continuously traps us. We love and accept everyone, but not the sinfulness that holds each and every one of us down. God loves us where we are, but He loves us too much to leave us there. Why should our love be any different? We can only change hearts in prayer and let the Holy Spirit do the changing as only the Holy Spirit can. We love those in their pain and in their suffering, suffering with them.
God continually guide me and guide those that seek your heart, be with our world lord…amen.
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It sounds like you have been doing a lot of thinking and writing since I last talked to you. I have been a bit out of it myself, but I'm doing better. Hopefully I will have time to go back and read some of your previous posts. Zakcq is a good guy and has some interesting perspectives. I've known him for like 6 years.
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