Re-Salt Us

Scotty Smith:  A Prayer for Renewal in Our Hearts & Churches

     “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16

     Gracious Jesus, at times I fantasize about running off to Switzerland with my family… living in a community of chalets with several other “healthy” families… escaping the crazy of church life… disengaging from the chaos of my culture… eating good food… “enjoying” the Christian life… and waiting for your second coming. That’s a confession of sin, not a prayer request.
     For starters, I know I couldn’t afford to pay for such a selfish fantasy. More importantly, I realize this isn’t the lifestyle for which you’ve redeemed us. The Church belongs to you, Jesus, she’s your beloved bride. Yet, as with everything else, we often take the church into the idol factory of our hearts and retool her to be an ingrown club for our own satisfaction. Forgive us, Jesus… forgive me.
     You’ve called and commissioned us to live as the “salt of the earth.” We’re not garlic, paprika or sugar, we’re salt. Salt preserves and fends off decay. Salt heals and sooths… it has medicinal value. Salt brings flavor and enhances other flavors. And salt only “works” when it’s out of the saltshaker… Alas, my own prayer convicts me
     Jesus, how does a believer lose their saltiness or, for that matter, how does a whole church family lose their vision and passion?  What’s involved in flavor-loss? More importantly, what does renewal look like?
     Come, Holy Spirit, come. We need you to stir our hearts. Only You are powerful enough to re-salt the de-salted… to bring us back to gospel-sanity… to restore in us the joy of God’s salvation… to reengage the disengaged with God’s plan for our communities, the cities and the nations.
     How we praise you than our cry is your pleasure. Before we ask you know our need. Do exceedingly beyond all we ask and can imagine.  So very Amen, we pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name.