By Keith Tungseth, Mission Advancement Coach, PacNWC
Yes, I will fall on my knees on this, one of the darkest days of the year and in the city that a survey reveals is the saddest of the 15 largest metro-areas of our country (Seattle Times).
I fall on my knees because of the truth that the season of Advent declares – the presence of Jesus is real.
I fall on my knees because I trust that Jesus’ presence makes the difference.
‘In his name all oppression shall cease.’
‘He knows our need and to our weakness is no stranger.’
Kneeling in Jesus’ presence I hear his message: You are the world’s light. So shine until others see the good you are up to and give God glory.
On my knees I share the sadness of those who are in prison, in detention, in hospitals and I trust by faith – chains shall he break!
On my knees Jesus’ presence offers the reality of the familiar Advent themes: love, peace, joy and hope – specifics of how Jesus presence makes the difference.
On my knees, churches of our fellowship come to mind – especially those with calls to reach out to neighbors of other languages and cultures. O God, help them as they care for their children and youth with extreme challenges – not able to attend school and fighting isolation temptations and disorientations.
As Coach for Mission Advancement on our conference staff, I share part of my church prayer list in the form of internet links and invite you to be on your knees for their thriving amid unexpected challenges and new opportunities in this uncertain time:
- https://www.facebook.com/EsperanzaVivaWA/ – Living Hope
- www.iglesiacreekside.org – Iglesia Creekside – ‘Mantle of Love’
- https://www.facebook.com/ilabellevue – Iglesia Latinoamericana
- https://www.facebook.com/ICPactodeGracia – Grace Covenant
- https://www.facebook.com/PNW-Hispanic-Womens-Ministries-397112474425392 – Women’s Ministries
I invite you to also join me kneeling for CHET (Hispanic Center for Theological Studies) the Covenant theological school with a campus in Compton, CA. CHET is no longer just in California but is developing centers around the USA including our own Pacific Northwest Conference. www.chet.org We have been connecting all of our Spanish language congregations with CHET for discipleship and leadership development and in the future, with ZOOM, we are able to offer all of CHET’s programs throughout our conference.
May we be falling on our knees to together pray to be compelled by the love of Christ to minister reconciliation in our culture so dark with divisions. This divided world needs to see a people live out a better story – a story based on the reality of Christ’s love. .
On our knees before Jesus (and He interceding for us ) we pray that our hearts will be so filled with Christ’s love that differences of race, culture, language etc. will not divide us.
Only if we fall on our knees in the presence of Jesus will we become part of such a transformed community.
No more let sins and sorrows grow…because He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love.
Be not conformed to this world but be transformed!
We must not be conforming to our culture and its divisions because of a self-focus instead of God’s world view.
On our knees may Jesus shine light on the Kingdom’s global mission and may our vision go beyond ourselves.
May we end 2020 on our knees in confession and repentance and may we begin 2021 on our knees depending on Jesus’ presence to guide us into uncharted territory and Kingdom adventure. If on our knees, Jesus can lead us to begin writing a new chapter of our life together – living a story based on Christ’s compelling love – a story better than we have ever seen before.
May we become known by a better story as we are transformed and humbled by the empowering and awesome presence of Jesus.
In their book REFRAMATION, Alan Hirsch and Mark Nelson challenge their readers:
Repairing, healing, and restoring the world in Jesus’ name and cause is a wonderful way to live a surprising life that has a positive impact. For one, it forces us to take ownership of the story we are living, as well as the story we tell – a story that can either contribute to or repair the brokenness of the world. We have a choice as to which story we adhere to and which story we are known by. But there is no way to avoid telling story of some sort with our lives— the way we live our lives is going to tell a story, whether we want it to or not…. Our lives will either tell stories of individualism and self-reliance or stories of restoration and redemption – stories of ugliness or stories of beauty. We choose our way. (p. 191)
How is the PRESENCE of Jesus making us live differently than the culture around us? How are we laying down our lives for others, taking up our cross and following? Jesus presence has a way of inspiring within us a strong desire to live a better story.
Earlier this year I was at a unique meeting of two congregations sharing a building. I rejoiced to hear a passionate voice share their aspiration to have these two faith communities love each other so well that they would together tell a better story in their community – a story of unity in purposeful mission.
Fall on your knees and pray this aspiration into reality in multiple places in 2021!
With immense gratefulness for the opportunity I have had to work with our Superintendent Greg Yee and the entire conference staff. I have been blessed.
I thank God for all of you!