What to Pray For

I know at various points of my life I have struggled with how to pray. I've decided there is one prayer that needs to permeate my spiritual life: unity. In my marriage God is most glorified not by how Mike and I resolve conflict, or stay committed, or act in love, but by our being one flesh. Its counter-intuitive and contradictory to all that we know. To what society and even our own sense of self tells us. But it is being a part of something bigger than ourselves, that ultimately brings God the glory. If in fact that is my goal--something to consider. It is our one-fleshness, our unity which gives a picture of how God loves His church. This is the goal of my marriage; not happiness, not personal fulfillment. Being a tangible picture of God's intangible qualities. In doing that I join the rest of nature in singing a song of His praise, a song without words. 

And this prayer isn't just for the stage of marriage. Paul says that we make his joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same purpose--united in spirit, serving the Lord. What would the church look like if we all showed up and served with one main goal: unity in love. I honestly can't imagine how transforming it would be. That would be a place everyone would belong. God is not most glorified when I am doing some awesomeness in my spiritual gift, but when my spiritual gift is building up and into the body of Christ. You know in the world's view it is the individualist, the icons who stand apart that make the greatest impact. But that isn't God's model. The icons, the stand-alone's don't point to something beyond themselves. They make themselves the icons. But that isn't our purpose is it? We aren't called to be icons, or superheros. We are called to be a part of something else. When I am functioning in my part as a body, the body works. It is a working unified body that is a mystery, a silent sermon without words that echoes into the world--a glorious mystery that testifies to someone who holds it together--that points to this truth: There is a head to the body: Christ, and it is "In HIM all things hold together" (Colossians  1). In this model He is the superhero. He is the one who makes the impact. And that's the actual truth of all things. So maybe I should walk in that more. Think on that more. So...I'm putting unity at the top of my prayer list. Its a prayer that ungirds all the work I am called to do.