Praying that the lives of God's children may look different because people see Jesus in us

I started looking at the devotion book that St. John Lutheran will be using during Lent with many others around the country – The Red Letter Challenge. “Red letters” point to the words and teachings of Jesus, which in certain editions of the Bible are printed in red ink, in contrast to the black ink used for the rest of the Bible. In the introduction to this devotion, author Zach Zehnder asks the question, “Why is there no significant difference between the lives of those who call themselves Christians and the rest of the world?” I’ve heard that assertion before. Sometimes that statement seems true. Sometimes Christians don’t look any different than others. So the question can be asked, “Does God, does Jesus make a difference?’

I would suggest that God’s children often do look different, and that can be both bad and good. Some see Christians as judgmental and arrogant. When Christians focus on God’s law rather than His forgiveness, and when Christians blindly forget their own sin but point to the failings of others, that is contrary to the attitude of repentance and faith God desires in His people. But, unfortunately, sometimes Christians can and do come across that way.

However, sometimes others ask God’s children, “How can you have peace when the world around us is going crazy?” Sometimes God’s people know their sin, but also trust the Almighty Good and Gracious Creator of the Universe, in spite of the chaos in our world. The attitudes of repentance and faith created by God’s love don’t seem to make sense to someone who does not know God’s forgiveness and salvation in Jesus. But, when a Christian can be honest about their own failings, yet when they also know that in love God forgives us in this life, and He saves us for eternal life in heaven, then all the noise of this world can be muted by thanks and praise to God in our hearts. That is a good kind of difference!

In a devotion from Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer I read on Tuesday, January 26, he talked about community and COVID, and pointed to Ephesians 3, a wonderful statement of how God makes a difference in the life of His people.

‘What have we learned through the pandemic? The importance of community! Yes, but what kind of community? For example, if a person believes the Q Anon conspiracy, there’s a community for you. Or if someone believes gender is something you select, there’s a community for you. If you haven’t bought into some cause, casually associating with whatever community can draw you in. Even with social distancing, we’re not lacking for communities, but some communities can be harmful to you and to society. Remember Jonestown in Guyana or the Branch Davidians in Waco?

Paul prayed for the church in Ephesus. If you think about it, your congregation is a community set amid other communities, but your congregation offers what other communities can’t. Read what Paul said about the congregations in Ephesus and let it be your prayer for your congregation.

“For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named…” We don’t see much humility today, Your congregation models humility before the great Creator. “… that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being…” Who doesn’t need inner strength to face our troubled times? “…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…” Unlike the tribalism and division we see all about us, us against them, your congregation points you to Jesus Christ, who is greater than the vanities of this world. “…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” What community online or in person offers the insights into life, the calmness of faith, the welcome of love and the fullness of God that your congregation offers?

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think…” “Have good cheer, little flock!” “…according to the power at work with us…” Good things happen when you’re active in your congregation. “…to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen”’ (Ephesians 3:14-21). It’s a great time to be the Church! (The Meyer Minute for January 26, 2021)

The writer of the Red Letter Challenge devotional book asks the question, “Why is there no significant difference between the lives of those who call themselves Christians and the rest of the world?” Our goal as the church of God is that, when Christ’s love lives in us, we are different than we were before we knew His grace and salvation. Paul prayed that all the church would know “. . . the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

My prayer for God’s church is that, as we are together in God’s Word, we may know “the breadth and length and height and depth” of God’s love for us in Jesus. My prayer for the church of God, for each of you and for myself, is that knowledge of God’s love changes our lives so we live with attitudes of humility because of our own failings, but we also live in peace and joy because of the love of God. My prayer for myself, and for each of us, is that when people look at us, they see something different. My prayer is that they see Jesus in us.