‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
‘God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”’
(Genesis 1:27-28)
‘God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.’
(Genesis 1:31)
In God’s family we are all connected, we are brothers, sisters, aunties, uncles, parents – all created in the image of God. Does our inter-connectedness change how we read, understand and are impacted by these articles?
‘We must preach with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.’
This quote is often assigned to the theologian Karl Barth. It is a challenge to see how faith in God can inform our understanding of how Kingdom values can be put into practice in real life. The Bible is not meant to be some separate, irrelevant and sanitised book, but rather a guide to a way of life that is relevant and often messy and calls us to authentic living in the realities of what is going on in the world.
It can be overwhelming even to consider seeking justice and reconciliation in the world. If you are brave enough to read or listen to the news, that is brilliant!
For all of us, there are times in life when we may need to focus on what is in front of us, striving to cope with whatever we are dealing with in life ourselves or with those who are close to us.
There are other times when we have the space and emotional capacity to open up ourselves to other people’s situations. This is when we can position ourselves to hear, see and feel what others may be struggling with in life. But we must remain aware of our own circumstances and capacity to care for others, especially when we hear of such painful stories of oppression.
Reflect on your own situation. Are you in a time of needing to prioritise self-care, or are you in a season of being able to support others? Sometimes we pray for ourselves, and at other times we can be part of God’s answer to someone else’s prayer.
When we look at the messiness of the world, read or watch the news or ask people how they genuinely are, it can inform our response. One thing every one of us can do is pray. Prayer does make a difference, and being informed can help us pray into specific situations.
Seeking justice and reconciliation is a Kingdom value, but it can be overwhelming and lead to us feeling that we don’t know even where to begin praying. Sometimes we are left lost for words as we think about situations. Let’s take a moment to be reminded of how Jesus taught us to pray:
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.’
(Matthew 6:9-10)
In Revelation 21 we see God’s promise for the future. When we are inclined to be overwhelmed at the world, we have a hope that is both for the future and a vision for the world now as we seek justice and reconciliation in God’s world.
‘Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
‘He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”’
(Revelation 21:1-5)
Be encouraged that God’s hope is trustworthy and true. Now we see glimpses of a world where we see moments of justice and times of reconciliation, but one day a new Heaven and earth will mean we no longer seek it but live in it for eternity.
As we watch this video from The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC) with the song ‘We seek your Kingdom’, we pray for our world, that we would see justice and reconciliation in our world. Our prayer is that God would help us discern how we might keep praying and put into action, Heaven on earth today.
VIDEO
‘We seek your Kingdom’ (official video) by Noel Robinson, Andy Flannagan and Graham Hunter (4:01)
Give members the lyrics to reflect on and to take home. Perhaps they could use the song as part of their prayers this week.
PRAYER
Members may want to pray over certain situations they have discussed, as a group, in pairs or as individuals. Provide paper and pens for any members who wish to write a prayer, to add to the collage.
