By Zac Harmon-McLaughlin, Community of Christ Seminary dean

Do not yearn for times that are past, but recognize that you have been given a foundation of faithful service, even as you build a foundation for what is yet to be.

What would it look like if we changed our mentality from strategic-thinking problem solvers to people who approach every new situation with an attitude of deep, authentic love? What would it feel like to walk into church on Sunday, not with a critical gaze toward all that needs correcting, but instead, to see the people and let “I love them” be the first thought to enter our minds?

I’m not advocating that we let issues go or avoid the need to make course corrections, but I am advocating that we lay down our spirit of scarcity and pick up a spirit of abundance. The church is not dying, but our passion and attentiveness may be waning. God’s enduring Spirit has not left us alone, but our willingness to be attentive to the movements of God may be stifled. When we live in a place of scarcity, all seems to be lost. When we move to a place of noticing God all around us and in all things, our vision is transformed. We see abundance!

In a familiar story in Luke, Jesus encourages his disciples to cast their nets into the deep. The disciples are blown away by this. They have been fishing all night and have caught nothing. Then, because of an awareness of invitation, they cast their nets into the deep and catch so much that they almost sink their boat! Is this not how it works with life in the Spirit?

We have been “fishing” for years in shallow water, and Jesus has been shouting to us, “Try going deeper!” Our response is, “But Jesus, that’s so much work…and we’ve been working for so long…and we are tired!” The good news is this: God invites us into the deep—that place just beyond the point where we have exhausted our own efforts.

The abundance of a deep life with God is not something we create on our own. It is something we discover! What might happen if we choose the radical act of living with no agenda and courageously love our neighbors and explore the depth of each other’s lives?

Prayer Phrase

“We love because God first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Spiritual Practice

Sea of Light

Quiet and center yourself. Ask for God’s healing and guidance as you enter this time of prayerful presence. Close your eyes, breathing deeply and calmly. Imagine you are floating in a beautiful sea of light that rises and falls with each cycle of your breath. The golden light of this sea buoys you up, so you float effortlessly. Waves of light carry and wash over you, bringing wholeness and peace. Rest in the sea of God’s love; then offer a prayer of gratitude.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.