I pray also for those who will believe in me… that 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. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity.
-Jesus (John 17:20-23)
This morning my son and I had different goals. He wanted to stay home from school. I wanted to get him on the bus. He wanted to convince me he was sick. I wanted to convince him he was well. (I was right).
This kind of conflict tears me apart inside, because I’m such an idealist I want us to get along all the time. Not only us, I want everyone to get along all the time. I want us all to hold hands, sing worship songs around a campfire, and to live in complete peace and unity with one another.
Instead, I feel that we are all just trying to get our own way, fighting for our own survival.
But I still cling to the prayer above and believe that unity is possible.
I believe that God indwells us who trust in Him and that in Him unity with others who trust in Him is possible. I believe that even though we experience church splits, divorces, arguments, and political differences there is a greater unity that is possible in God.
The very belief that God is triune, three people in one being, preaches united relationship. It teaches us that Someone is united with Another (and Another). That while we may struggle to maintain peace in our own relationships, there is One who has attained it and can impart it to us.
I believe Christ’s prayer for us to be united is not just a wish, but is a possibility. It is my constant prayer request in this divided world. And even though I didn’t experience it this morning, I believe the prayer for unity is a prayer that can be answered, because it is a prayer from God (the Son) to God (the Father) through God (the Spirit).
How much more united can you get?
This post is a part of Five Minute Friday, a weekly link-up community prompted by one word by Kate Motaung. We all write for five minutes with minimal editing and all the love. This week’s word: Unite. Join us and if you do, share with me your writing! I’d love to read what you have to say.
I had to smile at your description of this morning’s “difference of goals”. I remember being that child; I remember being the parent to that child. Thank you for making me smile — I needed that. I also needed to read what you long for. It made me think about what I long for (I share your desire for unity, for an end to discord and strife), but even more importantly, your post niggled at my brain and caused me to ask myself if I truly act like I want unity. Do I bust my chops, as my dad would say, to promote unity myself? Thank you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, for prompting a nostalgic smile, and for reminding me to be more deliberate in my own actions.
Oh Patti, thank you for your thoughts on this. I’m grateful you shared with me what this stirred in you – because I think I need that as well. “Am I promoting unity?” is a question I need to ask myself more.
And I’m glad I made you smile. If I had more time I would have written about how I also tried to manipulate my parents into thinking I was sick by trying to heat up the thermometer in my hands (that obviously didn’t work). I’m really not that different from my son, whether I like it or not. 😉
Leah, it is my constant prayer too. I want everyone to get along too. We must be knit from the same clothe. Let us encourage and build one another up. I’m in the #7 spot this week.
Thank you for praying and for being a person of encouragement. You do it so well.
Yes and Amen! Such motivation to keep trusting and believing that it is POSSIBLE, through God. Sadly, this is the key component that is missing in so much of the world! Praying with you, sister!
I’m so glad this was encouraging for you. Last week was actually fairly discouraging for me. I was preaching to myself – or maybe God was reminding me of what He’s showed me so many times before.