Dear God,
There is so much hurt in the world. Every time we look at the news, every time we open social media, every time we look around our communities we see hurting people. So many people have been devastated by the loss in recent months, Father. You’ve seen the attacks in Paris, Brussels, and Pakistan, and even the numerous amount of other acts or terror and injustice around the world.
I pray that the church will unite in a time like this. God, that we will put away our petty differences in doctrine, agenda, and titles and come together to reach a hurting world as you have called us to. Allow us to come together as your children in a spirit of unity so that we may effectively reach the nations for you.
God, your hurting church needs your healing hand. We cannot effectively reach a hurting world if we ourselves are hurting.
Help us shed away our prejudice as well as cut off our entitlement. May we continue to walk in love for one another and that church will recognize her full strength when submitted to your kingship, Christ. That we will not look at diversity as detrimental, but that the eye may accept the hand, and that the foot may compliment the leg. Lord, help us to find our place in the body so that we may fulfill your call on the earth. We put to death all rivalry, jealousy, envy, malice, and pride, and pick up humility, gentleness, and patience with one another. God that we will walk in a manner that is worthy of your calling for the body. That instead of viewing other parts of the body as competitors we will see other parts of the body as complementary.
Jesus, that we would, as you have called us to, love one another just as you have loved us. Lead us to a place where we can be servants to all, and that we may lay down our lives for each other day in and day out. Challenge us to sacrificial servanthood. May the love we have received from you spill over into the lives of those around us.
Holy Spirit, that your fruits will be a reality in our lives as we conduct ourselves in the church and outside of it. That with the same conviction we have been taught to love outsiders we may also love those within our four walls. Holy Spirit, at times it is so much harder to love our fellow Christians than it is an outsider, but, Lord, but help us to show it and grow it in tangible ways.
God, would you remind us that we are all your children. That through the finishing work of Jesus Christ on the Cross we too have become heirs in your kingdom. Break through our hearts and allow us to see that we are of the same family. May we not allow contempt to grow between us like Cain to Abel, but may the relationship like that of Johnathon and David flourish in our hearts. That though they were not blood, they stood by one another through the most trying of circumstances.
May your body on earth mirror the Kingdom of God in heaven; United.
Your son,
Eli Bonilla Jr.
