September 14, 2004

[Rev. Doc]

Unity

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,"
Romans 15:5

Charles Osgood told the story of two ladies who lived in a convalescent center. Each had suffered an incapacitating stroke. Margaret's stroke left her left side restricted, while Ruth's stroke damaged her right side. Both of these ladies were accomplished pianists but had given up hope of ever playing again. The director of the center sat them down at a piano and encouraged them to play solo pieces together. They did, and a beautiful friendship developed.

What a picture of the church's need to work together! What one member cannot do alone, perhaps two or more could do together--in unity.

Prayer: Ask the Lord to give you a vision of the power of unified believers.

"Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together."
~Vesta Kelly.

[Galant]

The subject of unity is one that has been on my mind for quite a while.

I think the significance of the subject has been overlooked by many, and in fact it is one of the most vital parts of our Christian faith.

I think one of the most striking passages on unity has to be John 17:20-26. In this passage we find a prayer aimed directly at you and I, from the very lips of Jesus Christ. In this, one of his last prayers Jesus takes the time to speak of unity. When praying for us who have lived after those first 12, Jesus' prayer was not successful campaigns, large churches, clever ideas, or cultural relevance, not even complete freedom from sin - not that any of those are bad things or not in the will of God.

Jesus Prays for All Believers
20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that 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. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I 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. 24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

That for me made me wonder whether I was missing something on the subject of unity, whether I'd overlooked something and should take a deeper look. Then when thinking about it some more, something came to me. Excuse me if what I say next sounds offensive or heretical in some way. I assure you I have no such intention, nor do I think it is, I think it just can be interepreted that way.

"that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me."

The subjects of the trinity and the nature of God in His being are tricky to say the least. I'm not sure I'll ever get my mind around them on this earth, yet one thing I know is that even though there are three persons in God, yet they are one - He is one. A unity of three in one that defies my understanding, yet I think is the example of supreme unity. Jesus in His prayer then seems to call us into a unity with one another and a unity with Him, that the trinity has within itself.

Just as He and the Father are one - 2 and yet one, so He calls us to be one. We are to be many yet one - so much so that there is no disagreement in will, no distinction in being. What's more, it almost seems as though God calls us into the trinity. To share in the eternal and perfect relationship that God has with Himself. To share His will, His love, His purpose, and His fellowship.

That was one of the last prayers of Jesus Christ, and I think there is something to be learned here about the purposes, will and desire of God, for all of us with one another, and all of us with Him. We all know following God is about relationship with Him, but I wonder if we've even begun to understand the amazing depth and wonder of that very relationship. What wonders lie before us as we continue to enter the very presence of God?


Finally, despite the mysteries of God it is amazing how He makes the pursuit of such the simplest of matters. Love cannot be fathomed, it amazes, yet it is lived out in simple ways and through simple acts. To ask what is the loving thing to do is many times a very easy thing - doing it though is often the hard part.

So with unity - think about your friends and your family. What does it mean for you to pursue unity in those relationships. Especially within the church body you attend, what is lacking in your unity with others? How you can you make up the difference?

What is it worth to you to do so? - A hard question. Made easier perhaps by asking, what was it worth to God, to make up the difference for us, and for one another?

The Lord be with you,
G.