Week 3 | Day 4 | Be United in Spirit

Command:

Be One. John 17:20-23 (NIV)

Read:

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. Ephesians 4:1-6 (NLT)

Reflect:

I have been blessed to participate in God’s work by using my gifts. As an added bonus, I get to do ministry with a diverse group of individuals who love Jesus. While we are each uniquely gifted, we are collectively called to a specific purpose - to make Jesus known. We’re usually on the same page on the “why” of what we are doing, but sometimes…not so much on the “how.” As much as we all are in agreement with our collective mission, there are times when the day-to-day work of ministry can cause some challenges due to varying opinions and personalities. 

Jesus, in his infinite love for us, on the night of his arrest prayed that anyone who would come to believe in him would all be united - be one with him and God, and with one another (John 17:21). He anticipated that disagreements large and small would cause divisions within the church. While God purposely made each of us with unique particularities and gifting, it is only by the power of his Spirit that we are to work together to announce Jesus to the world. The apostle Paul also encourages Jesus-followers to “make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit.” The guiding principle of our discipleship to Jesus is to be united and to love one another so that the world may know that we are his followers, and come to believe in him.

React:

Which of your relationships could use a little bit of effort to be united in the Spirit of Christ? What steps can you take towards that? 

Pray:

Jesus, thank you for inviting us to be in unity with you and the Father. May we also then live in unity with others, that the world may know who you are.