Prayer Target: Feeling Loved and Cared for in the Church

Many of us are blessed to be in churches where we are loved and cared for by our pastors, and fellow christians. The Lord desires this for each one of us so that "we can grow up in all aspects into Him." (Eph 4:15)

In 2 Thess 1:3, Paul was writing to the church of the Thessalonians. He said, "We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows even greater." In verse 4, Paul said he spoke proudly of this church among all the churches of God for their perseverance and faith in the midst of all their persecutions and afflictions that they endured.

As I read this, I felt like the Lord showed me this church was able to face so many trials and persecutions in victory because they abounded in love for God and each other. Their faith was greatly enlarged in this atmosphere of love and caring for each other.

I'm sure we all know of situations where the church has failed either us or someone we know when love and support was greatly needed. One example comes to my mind. There is someone I know whose family came under tremendous spiritual attack. Her family loves and serves the Lord, and her husband had been serving in leadership in their church. The husband, who was normally faithful and committed to his family, became very confused and decided he wanted to separate from his family for a while. At the same time, one of their sons became suicidal and depressed.

My friend approached the pastors of the church for prayer and counseling. No one was available to talk with her. When she finally reached one of the pastors, they listened and then asked her if there was anyone else she could talk to. He didn't have time to minister to her family. Fortunately, God provided christian friends to support my friend and her family through this crisis. God has now restored this family. Also, my friend has forgiven her pastors for their lack of support and is asking God to strengthen the pastoral staff, and also praying that God will shed His love in increased measure in their hearts.

Jesus said in John 14:l2,l3, "This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down His life for his friends."

I would like for us to focus this week's prayer practicum on praying for the building up of the Body of Christ in our churches. That God's love would be poured into the hearts of His people, causing us to abound in love for each other. During this practicum, God may give you specific prayer strategies to pray for His church. He may also use this practicum to show some of us our need to forgive a church that has hurt us. God wants to give us the opportunity to build up the Body of Christ, praying for the strengthening of relationships within the church. The effect of this will be individuals feeling more loved and cared for.

Lord, I know it is one of your greatest desires for us to feel loved and cared for in Your church. We are called to be in the world, but not of it, and Your church is one place that You want us to feel safe and cared for. I ask that Your love will be shed abroad in the hearts of our pastors, leaders, and fellow members of the Body. Draw Your people close to You, Lord. Soften their hearts toward each other, giving them willing hearts to lay down their lives for each other.

Father, break down the dividing walls of rejection that isolate us from each other. Develop godly relationships of love and caring. Enable us to forgive each other quickly when offended, offering grace and mercy to each other. We need more of You in our lives. Lord, strengthen Your church, in Jesus' Precious Name. Amen

Please feel free to pray into this topic during the week, to build on one another's prayers and also to discuss insights you have on the week's prayer target. Post your prayers and /or discussion to the prayer-school list by emailing them to this address: prayer-school@xc.org

Please limit your prayer/discussion to the current week's prayer target; please do not pray into or discuss previous week's prayer targets. However, if you have a praise report to answered prayer from a previous week's prayer activity, please feel free to post them any time.