Today's daily lesson comes from Psalm 26 verse 8:
O Lord, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells.
Last night our Leadership Team at church had an important meeting on an important subject. Though there was a clear difference of opinion in the room there was also mutual respect, holy listening, and a space for all to speak the truth as they see it -- even when their truth appeared to be at odds with others' truth. As I listened, I kept remembering and even praying Paul's words of confession: "We see through a glass darkly."
At the end of the meeting there were still a lot of diverse opinions; I don't know that anybody changed anybody else's mind. There was some agreeing to disagree. But there was also respect -- and the recognition that someone could see it differently from you and still belong deeply and fully to the Body of Christ. In other words, the people put into practice an old watchword of Christian unity: in necessariis unitas, in dubiis liberate, in omnibus caritas -- "in essentials unity, in mystery freedom, and in all things love".
As we concluded the meeting the chairperson called on one of the true pillars of our church to say the prayer. With quivering voice, he began with these words, "LORD, I know I loved this church; but I have never loved it more," and went on with a beautiful prayer which ended in a quote from the book of Acts: "See how they love one another."
Belonging to our church in all its diversity is not always easy, but it is good. And surely the presence of the LORD is in this place.
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