For as long as I have known my God, my salvation has come down to this: I was stuck in my own mistakes and mess until Jesus, the Son of God, bought me with His blood and by His grace through faith alone. I am a child of God forever.
This is the Good News, but it’s probably not new news to you. For more than 2,000 years, people have made a similar confession and placed their faith in Christ. They have walked through that door from death to life.
Yet beyond that one door, we have discovered (or erected) 100 more doors—and behind every door of doctrine or denomination there are 100 more waiting. It seems many of us have walked through thousands of doors, until we find ourselves in a very small room with a very few like-minded folks.
Little Rooms in the House of God
I’m not saying this is wrong. We humans are eager to corner every truth that can be known about a God we love. And we’re bound to disagree on different points of theology as we seek answers and attempt to live out our faith.
But now, via the platform of technology, every little room has been given a microphone and a stage. It’s powerful, and it’s a gift to use wisely, to tell of our God.
My question is: does the world know us by our love or our divisions? Is there a time to set down our microphones and deep convictions about politics and secondary doctrines? A time to walk out of our small rooms and knock on some doors down the hall in the same house? Could the time be now?
All in the Family
Earlier this year, a distinctly Jesus-centered event, IF:Gathering, brought women from different theological and cultural backgrounds to Austin, Texas. The leadership team, the speakers and the worship leaders decided to focus on what they all had in common: a love for Jesus and people.
More than 1,200 women worshipped and prayed and sought God in the Austin Music Hall as more than 40,000 more women joined by simulcast across 120 countries. We, God’s daughters, came out of our small rooms, joined hands in the courtyard and worshipped our Father. We broke bread as family, leaving our divisive small-room theology in the small rooms.
We discovered that we can sit at one big table to eat together and listen and love and remember that before we were divided, we were adopted sisters—the children of God.
We were bought from death and darkness by our God and invited into His forever family before we were afraid and mad about politics and gender wars and positions and authority and worship styles.
Love One Another
We get so caught up on the lesser truths that we miss the bigger picture for God’s desire for His Body here on earth. So unless you can tell me your issue will matter most before our Father, don’t tell me Jesus’ most basic clear command for us here isn’t possible:
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34).
Let’s fight for unity for the name of Christ and for a Kingdom that has no end. Let’s tear down the walls between our small rooms so the world will know us by our love.
This isn’t the easiest road, but we pray as Jesus taught us: “His Kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
This is His kingdom come.
