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Matthew 5:23–24, LSB

“Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”

God doesn’t want us holding issues against any other follower of Christ, but desires for us to stand in unity with our brothers and sisters in the faith. When there is disharmony among fellow Christ followers, we find it creates issues within the body of believers and the effectiveness of ministry is weakened if not undermined. Part of the reason for this is it makes the body of Christ no different than any other group in the world. Disharmony, disunity, and division is the norm of society and we have seen that grow as more and more have left the faith. Yet, when the body stands united, the impact is immediately felt and the witness to those who are not within the family of Christ is made greater as we seek to call more and more in to know the grace and forgiveness of our Lord. Let us begin with offering forgiveness to those who offend us and ask for forgiveness when we error and offend as we come together and sacrifice our pride before our Lord. Humbly, we come to the altar with nothing to offer but broken and contrite hearts and our Lord leads us into His peace.

Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.