Praying {Christ-fil-us} today

For it seems to me we are missing the point. Of our mission. Of what our purpose is. Of how we are to live in this world. Christ-fil-us So we live as testimonies of who you are and all you value. Not make public proclamations about what is right and wrong, which places us against other people. Christ-fil-us So we can point to the One Who Came to Save. Not point fingers and judge the sins of the world. Christ-fil-us So we can love abundantly and grace generously. Not just those like us, but everyone. Christ-fil-us So we can live within our discerned values and callings. Not disgrace the opinions and beliefs of the unbelieving world. Christ-fil-us So we can pray for those living in darkness. Not separate ourselves from those who think and live different. Christ-fil-us So we will engage brokenness with truth and love. Not stand against the world with politics and defenses. Christ-fil-us With gentle words of love and hope. Not comments that banter and fruitless conversation. Christ-fil-us With the desire to be humble participants in your kingdom work. Not self-righteous people who think we have it all figured out. Christ-fil-us So we invest our time and energy living the gospel.  Not futile efforts convincing others how they should live and love. Christ-fil-us So others will know we are Christians by our love. Not our beliefs, policies, opinions and votes. Christ-fil-us So we will powerfully and effectively transform communities by the way we receive people with grace. Not turn them away with our judgment. Christ-fil-us ‘Cause we can’t be the Church without you. Jesus, before you were born to the earth, your Father called a people to be holy, set apart for his purposes. This calling was to transform their entire life — the way they behaved, ate, cleansed, and worshipped. And more importantly how they fellowshipped with one another and interacted with surrounding communities. The mission was to live different in a sinful world. To choose different. To love different. To serve different. All for the purpose of pointing to God, the Creator. The lifestyle God called his people to was meant to produce health, longevity, satisfaction and joy, so the surrounding peoples would recognize a loving, clean, praise worthy God who provides for his people and victoriously accomplishes his purposes on the earth. These people who walked on soil before you, they weren’t called to change the way people believed. They weren’t called to point out the sin of others. They weren’t called to judge the surrounding communities. They were simply and extravagantly called to live different. To be a light. A breath of fresh air. A place people wanted to be. A hope to those desperate. A balm for the wounded. And then you came. And you were all this to all people. Christ-fil-us So we can carry out this mission, your mission, which has become the very purpose of the Church. Christ-fil-us So we can be like you. Love like you. Live like you. Represent like you. Restore like you. Serve like you. Not mimic the ways of the world. Christ-fil-us