Thought of the Day !!

"I 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."
                                                                      John 17:23 (NIV)

Unity.  Now there's a word I have some trouble with.  And this is because we, even as Christians, are so divided.  There's Catholics and Protestants.  There's numerous denominations.  Don't forget conservative thinkers, moderate thinkers and liberal thinkers.  Then think of all the things that have been done in the name of God that divide us.  Some split over issues like abortion, divorce or homosexuality.  Others on how church should be done.  While still others part company in their church every time they hear something they don't like from the preacher because they know very well there's another church down the road.  

Yes, we are divided in many ways.  But Jesus was truly unified with the Father and prayed for the unity of his disciples.  I believe he would want this unity to flow down to everyone who has put their faith in him since then as well.  As unified people we can let the world know that God loved us so much that He sent His only Son for us.  Maybe the reason there are so many who don't believe is that we are so divided. 

But what others may not see is that we do hold something in common.  If you call yourself a Christian...and mean what that says (accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior and being Christ-like), then you share something in common with me and I with you.  We love God.  We love Jesus.  And we know of God's love for us shown in how He sent His Son for us.  If only our unity in that fact could be seen as clearly and shouted as loudly as the things that divide us, we'd do a better job of fulfilling the Great Commission (Go and make disciples).  

Let us strive to seek more unity in love than division in anger.

In the love of Christ,
greg