Deeper Longings with Sarah
2 June 2020
Dear Church,
I’ve recently been struck by how incredibly precious our faith in Jesus truly is. Even during this difficult time, I have seen how our brothers and sisters in Christ have come together to build one another up in the faith. Through giving love gifts of food, coffee, muffins, you name it! Having zoom calls to catch up with one another relationally, and perhaps most poignantly, I’ve seen people give generously to those in need, both inside of the body and outside of it. And that has been most encouraging to me.
The most amazing thing is that we do all of this because of our faith in Jesus Christ. He is our precious cornerstone upon which the church is founded. Ephesians 2 talks about this picture of the church being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus himself being the cornerstone and how through the Holy Spirit, the church is being built together into a dwelling place for God.
It is this picture that I have in the back of my mind when I worship God during the live webcasts of our Sunday Services. I picture myself with the body of Christ, with people I know in RHC, and joining together with the heavenly hosts, singing Hallelujah Hallelujah to the King. Through this we make known, to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places that manifold wisdom of God that He has realized in Jesus. Even though we are separated, we are still joined together by His Holy Spirit.
Please join me in prayer, as we come before our Father’s throne of grace.
Father, I bow my knees, as I give thanks to you for this access to the holy of holies, your throne of grace, that we can boldly come before you with confidence because of the finished work of your son Jesus Christ. Father, we declare your sovereignty over all the earth. Though the nations rage, and kings may plot against you, you are still sovereign over all. Though the earth may shatter, and the mountains melt in the sea, Lord, even in this difficult Covid time, we as your children, we can take refuge in you, for you are our refuge, you are a good good God, and we can trust in you always.
Lord Jesus, we know this world is not what it should be. We see sickness, death, economic hardships and many difficulties, coupled with a multitude of evils that encompasses what it means to live in this world. Our hearts mourn as we wait in the “now but not yet”, longing for your return. Lord Jesus, we pray for your Kingdom to come on earth and for you to restore creation to what you had intended it to be. Creation itself groans, my heart groans, O Lord, as we patiently wait for your Kingdom to come. I see the darkness of my own heart Lord, and I truly desire for you to come and make all things, including my heart, new.
Lord, I pray that, according to the riches of your glory, that you would strengthen us and grant us the provision of your Holy Spirit. So that Christ would dwell in our hearts and that we would be able to comprehend the length and breadth and height and depth, that is the love of Jesus. Being filled with this love, that it would uplift us, strengthen us, enable us to love you, and to love our fellow brothers and sisters in the faith, that we would truly grow into the temple, a dwelling place for God. That through the way we love one another, and love others, that we would be a witness to the world who does not know you. And that others who do not yet know you Lord Jesus, would be drawn to you, and come to know you.
Lord Jesus, thank you for our church, RHC that you have called us to be a part of, for all the love, friendships and relationships that you so graciously bless us with. My heart is full of gratitude in being able to be a part of your community and to be able to play my part in it.
Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work within us. Unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.