Tuesday June 21, 2022

Today is Tuesday, June 21 and we continue to pray through chapter two of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

I come to this time of prayer bringing an open heart and open mind, quietly waiting for God to reveal truth to me and whisper wisdom over my soul.

Pause and Pray

Holy Lord God, I am here to experience your loving presence and discover the specific message you have for me. Communicate through the sacred words of holy scripture and help me carry your revelation throughout my day. Amen.

In the morning, I seek the blessing of God’s presence and praise him throughout the day with the words of Psalm 29.

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever. May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace! Psalm 29:10-11

Pause and Pray

In the ancient Jewish Temple in Jerusalem there was a stone dividing wall that separated the Gentiles preventing them from entering the inner courts. The wall bore a firm warning that crossing the boundary meant death. There was no access to God for the Gentiles until God made a way through his Son Jesus Christ. In a divided world brimming with disagreement, conflict, hatred, hostility, and violence Jesus comes bringing peace. Christ himself is our peace. Paul consistently taught that because of Jesus people from very different backgrounds and cultures could be unified as one.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. Ephesians 2:14-16

John Wesley recommended to the early Methodists a series of twenty-one questions for a daily examen of conscience. I sometimes read through these questions for my own self-examination and question number nineteen always gets me. Question 19: “Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I going to do about it?” I live in a world fraught with divisions, – national, political, social, cultural, racial, generational, familial, ecclesial. Dividing walls are erected, anger is fermented, resentment and bitterness grow. Jesus is my peace. He breaks down the walls of division in my heart and life and reconciles me to God and to other people through the power of the cross.

Ask: Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I going to do about it?

Pause and Pray

Blessed Lord Jesus, you are my peace. Come into my life and relationships – break down the walls of division, put to death hostility, heal the residue of bitterness, enable reconciliation, and fill me with the peace that passes understanding. Reveal the people in my life who I need to pray for, love and forgive. Crumble the stone walls dividing my heart. I read the words from Ephesians again and listen for the message you have for me.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. Ephesians 2:14-16

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

Today I consider what God might want to reveal to me about the relationships in my life and my attitude towards certain people or groups. Which words most resonate with the current state of my soul? Words like division and hostility may reflect the places in my life where there is conflict and discord. Words like break down, abolish, and put to death may indicate God’s desire for attitudes to change in me. Words like peace, reconciliation, and one body may reveal God’s desire for blessing my future. Some relationships can only be improved or restored through the power and grace of an almighty and loving God.

Pause and Pray

Lord Jesus, I invite you into my home, my church, my friendships, my neighborhood, my workplace and even my encounters on social media. Teach me how to stop spreading disagreement and division and begin sowing seeds of love, reconciliation and peace. Amen.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. Colossians 3:12-15

As I leave this time of prayer, I go into a divided world to break down the walls of hostility and be a messenger of peace.

Amen