Day 39 - Saturday, April 1
Title: A PRAYER FOR UNITY — LET THEM BE ONE
Scripture: John 17:20–26
“I am not praying only for these men but for all those who will believe in me through their message, that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, live in me and I live in you, I am asking that they may live in us, that the world may believe that you did send me. I have given them the honor that you gave me, that they may be one, as we are one—I in them and you in me, that they may grow complete into one, so that the world may realise that you sent me and have loved them as you loved me. Father, I want those whom you have given me to be with me where I am; I want them to see that glory which you have made mine—for you loved me before the world began. Father of goodness and truth, the world has not known you, but I have known you and these men now know that you have sent me. I have made your self known to them and I will continue to do so that the love which you have had for me may be in their hearts—and that I may be there also.

Poetry & Poet: 
from “The Church Militant” 
by George Herbert

Almightie Lord, who from thy glorious throne
Seest and rulest all things ev'n as one:
The smallest ant or atome knows thy power,
Known also to each minute of an houre:
Much more do Common-weals acknowledge thee,
And wrap their policies in thy decree,
Complying with thy counsels, doing nought
Which doth not meet with an eternall thought.
But above all, thy Church and Spouse doth prove
Not the decrees of power, but bands of love.
Early didst thou arise to plant this vine,
Which might the more indeare it to be thine.

A PRAYER FOR UNITY — LET THEM BE ONE

My career as a missionary for more than three decades, has allowed me to experience the Church of Jesus in sixty countries. I am profoundly amazed with the grandeur of the Church. John 17:20-26 is both rich and convicting. It’s a call to live in harmony with our fellow Christians in order to demonstrate to the world who Jesus is.

Jesus is praying for relational unity, for the disciples, then, by extension––for everyone in the world who will become part of the glorious Church. We have the privilege of being privy to this intimate prayer. He pours out his heart to the Father, disclosing his desire for the mission of his church to be fulfilled. He must have been feeling the weight of such a grand plan conceived before the foundation of the world.

The promise of God from the fall of man in Genesis, to bring a people to himself from every tongue, tribe, and nation, will rest on the shoulders of his disciples. (Humanly speaking, that was a lot to count on.) The reality is Jesus knows that the work of the Holy Spirit will steward the promise he made when he said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not overpower it.” (Matt. 16:18, NASB) Jesus prays earnestly for relational unity, “that they may become perfectly one.” (v. 23) Our relational oneness echoes the Triune God. Just as our artist took combined photos of the coming together of light to illustrate the effect Christians have on the world, so we, in relational unity, show the unity of the Church––the visible example to the world to authenticate who he is.

God wants his Church to participate with him to build the Body of Christ. In the words of Irenaeus, Bishop in Gaul, at the end of the second century, “The church, spread throughout the whole world, lives as one house, having one soul and one heart, and in spite of different languages, holds to one tradition. Since our faith is everywhere the same, it is impossible to add to or take away from.”

The church owes her unity to the Triune God, Christ the head of the Church, and the Scriptures that bind us. “The incarnate person of Christ, the indwelling presence of the spirit in the hearts of believers, and the proclamation of the gospel are all essential characteristics of the unity that defines the oneness of the church.” (John Armstrong)

“As the broken bread was scattered upon the mountains but was brought together from the ends of the earth and became one, so let thy Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth in thy kingdom.” (Didache) The first line from one of my favorite hymns declares…”The Church’s One Foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord, she is his new creation by water and the Word, from heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride, and with his blood he bought her and for her life he died.” In the ancient Nicene Creed, we repeat, “One holy, catholic and apostolic church.” Poet George Herbert affirms this truth, “But above all, thy Church and Spouse doth prove Not the decrees of power, but band of love.”

If we assume the meaning of unity is essentially uniformity, we have misunderstood what Jesus is saying. Uniformity is the agreement of everyone to think, act, and become the same. Whereas unity is action based on a shared core of beliefs and the implementation of those beliefs with allowance of individuality of being

We Christians have a tremendously important role to play as members of this august body. “We cannot possibly dialogue or witness to people if we resent their presence or the view they hold.” (David J. Bosch)

I want to live by this truth, “In essentials unity, in non-essential liberty, in all thing charity.” (17^th century Rupertus Meldenius)

Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord Jesus, who prayed that we might all be one, we pray to you for the unity of Christians, according to your will, according to your means. May your Spirit enable us to experience the suffering caused by division to see our sin, and to hope beyond all hope.
Amen
   –––Adapted from a prayer by Abbe Paul Couturier

Dr. Glenn T. Collard
Director of Coram Deo International
Charlotte, North Carolina

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