Read 1 John 4:16-21
Picture yourself in church one Sonday morning and you witness the following event. Two believers walk into church on this particular Sonday morning as they have both done for several years. As they see each other, they grimace in acknowledgement of each other and immediately head to opposite ends of the sanctuary to take their seats. The animosity is not only obvious but also piercing. The
Most people watching on would probably turn away and assume that all is well or at least as well as it will ever be.
But if you were to glimpse into the heavenlies into the throne room of our awesome and mighty God during this “worship” time, I wonder what you’d see. I suspect that you’d see God weeping tears of sadness. I suspect that you would see God with his face turned away, his heavenly face without a smile. I suspect that you would see God refusing to listen to the prayers or to rejoice in the singing He’s hearing.
Why? How can I say that given that both men were so passionate and even lifted up their hands and shed a tear? Read today’s verses again very carefully. If we hate our brother in the Lord, then we can not love God. Our love for God is a lie if we cannot be reconciled to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Scripturally speaking, we simply cannot raise up hands in acceptable worship, that is worship in Spirit and truth, if we do not love one another. Hatred, animosity, dislike and worship are mutually exclusive! I can lift up my hands as high as they’ll go. I can sing at the top of my voice. I can pray the most elegant and beautiful prayers… But if I harbour hatred or anger towards my brother/sister in Jesus, I AM NOT WORSHIPPING GOD!!!
Please don’t hear me wrong. No one is saying we have to be besties with those who have hurt us. Rebuilding trust takes time. It can be a slow and painful process. But hatred cannot dwell in the house of God. Hatred cannot dwell in a house of worship. Hatred destroys worship.
Hatred darkens more than the two parties involved. I suspect that God would have his face and ears and heart turned away from the entire congregation because when we worship, we worship as a body, not as gathered individuals. Everything I do as an individual affects the congregation, the body I belong to. I am not an individual! I am a part of God’s body, the body of Christ. If I am dwelling in hatred then everyone is affected as well. My hatred darkens everything we do as a church body.
In tears I ask myself, ‘How many congregations are impotent and ineffective because individuals are trying to worship God with hearts darkened by hatred?’
Can you understand why Jesus said Matthew 5:23-24 that we should be reconciled to our brother/sister before we come to offer our gifts of worship at the altar? If God is love, can anything less be acceptable before Him?
Prayer:
Prayer:
Use the day’s reading notes and Bible passage to pray meaningfully:
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
· Ask the Lord to bring healing and reconciliation to broken relationships in your congregation. Pray that hurts would be healed, forgiveness would be granted and received and that Christ would be glorified in all of this.
· Pray that tomorrow’s service would give opportunities for love to be shared, forgiveness to be offered and received and that Christ would be glorified in the service.
1. If you witnessed the two people entering church, what would you do?
2. What does the Bible say about conflict resolution?
3. What is the biblical position on reconciliation among believers?
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