At this past debrief Mike and Patty our squad coaches brought every team this book to read. It is called the Royal Priesthood by Dennis Wiedrick, and it is about prayer, specifically intercessory prayer. I have been thouroghly enjoying it, and that says a LOT because I hate reading. Although it seems that this trip might be changing that. I have read 3 books in this month alone… Anyways, in Ch 7 of the book he brings up the the problem of judging in the body of christ. I have heard teachings on not judging before, but this really sank in. As I was reading he brings up the verse:
Galations 6:1-2 “Bothers if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. but watch yourself, or you also maybe tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fufill the law of Christ.”
He talks about how, “It is not wrong for us to see the problems in the Body of Christ. This is unavoidable. But it is how we react to those problems when we see them that determines our case. Will we carry those problems to the throne of Grace,…. or will we carry these faults before the Throne of Judgement, all while entertaining an attitude that really desires vengeance to be visited upon the offendes? Once you have seen a fault, you cannot remain neutral. You will inevitably appear before one throne or the other.”
It just hit me the reality of how easily I have passed judgment on people in the past, and how I covered it up with excuses without even thinking twice about it. Whether it was just a, “I can’t believe they are doing that, or why doesn’t the church do this different.” I have come to the realization that what I am seeing isn’t bad, but the way I reacted was not right. I made comments and had thoughts of what to do different passing my judgment on them, instead of praying for the need that I had seen, in so bringing them to the Throne of Grace. Last night, God took me through a list of people or things that I had judged in the past, I asked forgiveness for those things and prayed for them on their behalf. It was a good step in a new direction of prayer in my life and I am excited to see how God is going to uses it in the future…
