Is there anything too hard for God?

On Saturday I experienced quite possibly the most diverse moment of worship within the body of Christ that I have ever imagined. I can only describe this collective experience as a glimpse into what heavenly worship will look like. In an era where socio-political, racial, ethnic and national unrest seems to rule the day, there has never been a time when the church so desperately needs to move closer. The church must be an earthly representation of this heavenly reality—where every tribe and every nation stand in concert with each other before our God. (Revelation 7:9-10)  

 

Within the walls of enculturated bias, where you cringe to hear the measure of hate coming from Christians and non-Christians alike, it is easy for us to lament as Habakkuk did, “How long oh Lord?” (Habakkuk 1:2) How long, Lord, until the church represents the unity that you so earnestly prayed for in your final hours. In your priestly prayer Lord, you lifted up your eyes to the father and prayed, 

 

“I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony, that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us so that the world will believe that you sent me.  The glory you gave to me I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are one –  I in them and you in me – that they may be completely one, so that the world will know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me." John 17:10-23

 

But will this ever happen? Doesn’t unity among the brethren seem too big of a dream, too hard of a concept, and far beyond our reach? 

 

Maybe I am the only one who has let the despair of hopelessness blind me when we serve a God who opens the eyes of those who have hearts of stone.  If you are like me there are certain aspects of the global ecclesia that you have just simply put beyond our reach: Will racial reconciliation ever be a reality? Will church segregation be a thing of the past? Will people ever stop elevating their politics, their nation and their culture over their identity in Christ?  While unity in the body of Christ may be a tall order, the instant we allow despair to dictate our hope we have diminished the power of our Holy God. 

 

Listen to how God himself describes his limitlessness: “I am the Lord, the God of all humankind. There is, indeed, nothing too difficult for me." 

 

Do we truly believe this? Do we believe that in God’s great love for us and the power of the Holy Spirit imparted to his church, that we can resist Satan and he will flee? If our actions are truly an outpouring of our own thoughts, I would venture to say that we don't truly believe in the limitlessness of God. If, in fact, we did we would pray differently. Do we believe that the sinful dividing wall that fules Church division can fall based on the limitless power of our Savior and the continued sanctification of the Church? 

 

This Saturday I stood at the base of a platform, ankle deep in the mud that had been brewing on the grounds of the Texas Motor Speedway all week. In a moment of transcendence the crowd slowed, and I looked around. I saw Black, Whites, Hispanics, Asians, Old and Young with hands held high and heads hung low. I saw Assemblies of God, Episcopal, Presbyterian and Pentecostal arm in arm. I saw liberals and conservatives, Republicans and Democrats moving in concert with one another. I saw a glimpse of what unity in the body of Christ could look like. No one was worried about whether we sang from the Hymnbook or swag-surfed to Christian Hip Hop. No one asked who the other planned to vote for in the next election, no one argued over infant baptism or confirmation. Instead, we all worshiped the exalted Christ as one body. From October 20-21, hundreds of thousands descended upon that muddy track that became a holy place of worship as we praised the Lord at the Together 2018 rally. 

 

It’s easy to be skeptical of the Together Generation revival movement. Honestly, how much can one Christian concert change the face of what's to come? However, Together 2018 has one central and biblical concept that is, "We, the body of Christ, are better together."  To those who were able to partake in this holy worship last Saturday or simply those who have caught on to the vision, let us not leave the concept of together to wallow in the mud of the Texas Motor Speedway. Yet if each one of us used our sphere of influence to break out of the individualism of modern-day Christianity we will  be the change we want to see, as God continues to shape his church into her full maturity as the bride of Christ. 

 

Yes, the task at hand seems impossible but let us not forget there is nothing too hard for God! His unlimited power is unmatched and  as his people we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)  We are now divinely enabled us to operate in his power and carry on the ministry reconciliation to all as we gather believers one table at a time. 

 

Interestingly enough the high priestly prayer recorded in John chapter 17 gives us a taste of the power of Christian unity in the hands of our limitless God. For it was the unity that Christ wanted to pass down to every believer. Scripture tells us when people see our unity they are likely to believe in our God. (John 17:23) 

 

My hope is that together every nation and every tribe, every age and every stage can walk in the unity that Jesus so desperately wanted for us so that his sheep will be bought into the fold. (John 10:16)

 

While it is quite the task—there is nothing too hard for God! Now that we've got that straight, let's step up to our responsibility as the church to point people toward Christ through our unity! 

 

For more information about the Together Generation Movement or the Table Coalition click the link below: http://thetablecoalition.org