LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER: Pray for Your Church Fellowship

“I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let’s go to the house of the Lord’” (Psalm 122:1 CSB).

In this third of the Psalms of Ascents, the focus is on the city of Jerusalem. This is the place where God’s temple was located. The pilgrims wanted, above all, that peace and security would be paramount in their place of worship. Their prayers were for this peace to be a reality.

So many times in my short ministry, I have seen not peace but division and discord break out and break open the Lord’s Church. Brother fights against brother and family against family. Some little insignificant slight or insensitive words may or may not have passed in conversation. From then on, there is no peace in the place of worship.

At that point, some leave the church, not to return for many years, if at all. Some go to another congregation to try to begin anew. I would use the term “church hurt” for these people who were former worshippers of the Risen Christ in that particular church. Oh my, oh my! Let us pray for the peace of our church! The ending words of this psalm must always be on our lips coming from our hearts about our local church:

“‘May those who love you be secure; may there be peace within your walls, security within your fortresses.’ Because of my brothers and friends, I will say, ‘May peace be in you.’ Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will pursue your prosperity” (Psalm 122:6-9).