One body in Christ

 

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ....

 That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 

(1 Corinthians 12:12, 25, 26) 

Lord, we thank You for calling us to be one body in You.

Forgive us for the times we forgot that Jesus is our Head, and instead tried to make ourselves the center of this body. Forgive us for the times we looked lightly upon other members and failed to treat them as the precious souls they are. Forgive us for the times we failed to truly share in the sorrows and joys of our brothers and sisters.

Lord, our hearts are heavy when those who have grown with us as one body move on to other churches. Yet, we thank You that they remain within Your Great Universal Church, and we pray that we would never forget our oneness in Christ.

Grant us wisdom to discern how to remain united in spirit while maintaining healthy order within our local congregation. Help us never to let go of the bond of love and grace. Empower us to build up those who are weak in faith, and give us the heart to bless and welcome all—both those striving to become one with us and those who are departing from us.

We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

하나님 우리를 한 몸으로 부르심에 감사드립니다. 

때때로 우리가 예수님을 머리로 한 한 지체인 것을 잊고 내가 이 몸의 중심이 되려고 했던 것을 용서해주시옵소서. 

때때로 다른 지체를 가벼이 여기고 소중하게 다루지 못했던 것을 용서해주시옵소서. 

때때로 다른 이의 아픔과 즐거움에 함께 동참하지 못한 것을 용서해주시옵소서.

때때로 한 지체로 자라다가 다른 교회로 옮기게 된 자들로 인해 마음이 많이 아픕니다. 그러나 계속 하나님의 큰 교회 안에서 머물고 있음에 감사하며 예수 안에서 하나 됨을 잊지 않게 하여주시옵소서. 또한 지혜를 주사 함께 연합할 것과 지역 교회안에서 질서를 세우는 것을 잘 구분할 수 있게 하여주시옵소서. 또한 늘 사랑과 은혜의 끈을 놓지 않고 믿음이 약한 자들을 세우게 하시고, 한 몸이 되려고 하는 자들이나 떠나는 자들이나 모두 축복하며 받아들이게 하소서. 



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