On Earth As It Is In Heaven

Tim Worden

I had lunch with a friend today. He was telling me all about a very unusual town in Minnesota. 13 years ago God started moving in the hearts of the religious and municipal leaders of this town. They began to meet together and pray that John 17:21-23 would become a reality.

"that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

In the past 13 years, God has answered their prayer. Evangelicals, Catholics, Protestants, and Pentecostals have put their theological differences aside and united together in Christ for the transformation of their city. They have put their desire to be "the church" above their need to be more right than the next guy. The town has experienced a total reformation. I LOVE this story...but I have to admit that I'm not completely there yet. I desperately want to be at a place where seeing Christ in action is the most important thing...but I'm still a work in progress. Years of sectarianism has ordered my thought processes in a way that is not easily overcome. And then there's always that pesky pride I have to deal with. My friend says that he believes God will move in our town in the same way. I hope so.

And I hope I'm ready to join him.

"Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." - Jesus