Prayer Column - June 2021

A kingdom of priests?

According to Peter, in Jesus we are a royal priesthood (1 Pe 2:9), and the words are echoed twice in Revelation (1:6; 5:10), drawing on a promise to the Israelites as they were being given the ten commandments (Ex 19:6). It’s even implied in the making of humanity as the image of God and stewards of his creation, marred when they rebelled (Gen 1:26-31; 3:1ff). What does it mean to be a royal priesthood? As his image humans were to represent God. And as we love God, so we love his world. We treat it as God would, and raise its problems to him in prayer for healing.

Our dealings with God are largely spiritual (prayer; heeding his word), but must also affect the way we live. Likewise, material problems on earth have spiritual elements too – hence the need for being a priesthood in our stewardship. Lest we forget this, the Old Testament is replete with references to the

disobedience of God’s people harming the world, and the whole Bible looks forward to a time when, through Jesus’ spiritual salvation and Lordship, all will be physically well on earth once more, and for ever: no more discord (Is 65:17ff; Ro 8:18-25; Rev 21:1ff).

We are called to pray for progress at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in November, and also to change the way we live, to help the environment. Both the spiritual and the physical are right. Both are part of our priestly stewardship through Jesus. He came to save the whole world, starting with humans, and we are his friends if we do what he tells us. Indeed, how can we call him our Lord if we don’t? (Lk 6:46; Jn 15:14). We need prayer for our own obedience too, if nature is to thrive.

Roy Lorrain-Smith

A prayer for each week

Creator and Re-creator Lord, saving your world beginning with us as stewards, please so change us (and me) that we may play our part in your kingdom of healing. Amen.

Creating and Re-creating Lord, endlessly inventive and rich in everlasting promises, please fill me with confident hope in your plan to save the world through Jesus. Amen.

Creating and Re-creating Lord, complete in yourself and perfect in all you do, please transform me by the renewing of my understanding of Jesus as our Saviour and Lord. Amen.

Creator and Re-creator Lord, who came here in human form to show us how to live and to make it possible, please lead in the way we should go, in step with the Spirit. Amen.

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