Praying for the church of Jesus Christ

Here is my latest quotation from John Howe: 'If our hearts are grieved to hear of the sufferings of the Church of God in the world, but not of their sins; if we more sensibly regret at any time the persecutions and oppressions they undergo, than their spiritual distempers, their earthliness, pride, cold love to God, fervent animosities towards each other; it speaks an uninstructed, carnal mind. We take no right measure of the interests of religion or the Church's welfare, and do most probably mistake ourselves as much in our judging of our own; and measure theirs by our own mistaken model.' This seems to me to hit an important nail on the head. We rightly pray for persecuted Christians worldwide, but we seldom hear fervent prayers for the cleansing of the churches from carnality and error. Of course there is a danger here of considering the sins and weaknesses of other Christians and churches and overlooking our own, or even of praying with a sense of pride and superiority. But with true humility, aware of failings at home, we can, and surely should, be praying for the greater purity and holiness of the worldwide Church of God.