John 17:20-26
[Jesus prayed:] 20 “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, 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. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
25 “Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
“… 21 that they may all be one. …”
Some of the biggest disputes and bloodiest wars in human history originated because of religious differences. Often, the conflicts occur not between different faith groups like Muslims, Jews, Christians or Hindus, but amongst the same believers. Christians fighting Christians, Hindus fighting Hindu, and Muslims fighting Muslims, etc., seem to be the norm.
For Christians, this is particularly appalling considering Jesus calls us together as one. We are one not because we all agree on everything but because we have been united as one in Christ. He is the unifying force. Apart from him, there is only disunity, division, and disparity. In Christ, however, we are drawn together in a union with transcends human, cultural, ethnic, and racial issues. Through the cross and empty tomb, Jesus makes us one.
This unity is the reality given us by Jesus. Perhaps it’s time we lived into it! Rather than simply giving lip service to the oneness we have in Christ, perhaps we need to recognize our unity and seek to manifest it in our daily existence by seeing other Christians as brothers and sisters instead of strangers, enemies, and aliens. Perhaps, by starting there, we may begin to show to the world the true oneness we Christians have been given in Jesus.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have made us one in You. Teach me this day how to live in unity with others as You live in unity with us and with the Father. Amen.