Have you ever prayed for something so fervently that you could not think of anything else? Something that consumed you? Think back to that thing.
Did you ever attain it? How did it feel if you did?
For me the thing I prayed for and longed for was a husband. Two years ago, I pursued that with all I had. That was all I wanted. I prayed for it daily. I made a list of all the things I wanted in a husband and sought long and hard after that. Little did I know that my future husband was also praying to find someone. He got down on his knees every night and prayed to find a wife.
What if we as the church were united in our prayers? What if we longed to be one and prayed for it daily? What if we valued unity as much as Christ does? How would this change our lives and prayer habits?
Christ wanted something so much that when he prayed for it he sweated blood. His desire was unity for believers. In John 17:20-23 it says,
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who believe in me through their message, 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 sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them, you in me, so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
He desired for us to be one as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one. They are in perfect unity.
One always pursues the best for the other. They are never seeking their own interests because they trust that the other will take care of them. This is how it should be with the church.
The bible describes the church as a body. The body needs every part to function properly. Each piece cannot be of any good on its own. It requires the whole body to achieve its purpose. In the same way, the church needs every member to fulfill its purpose. Unity is an act of worship and it is spiritual warfare. Satan wants us divided – he wants us to argue about small disagreements in theology. He wants division in the Church, while Christ wants fellowship.
I’d like to share my prayer for unity to inspire more prayer amongst us and bring us closer together as the body of Christ.
Dear Lord,
I lift up the church as a whole to you. You see the cracks amongst us. I pray that you will mend us and make us whole. Bring us together Father. As you are one in the trinity, I pray that we would be one with you and with each other. Give us eyes to see one another and look for each other’s needs. Let nothing divide us. Let us look past our differences but instead look at each other in love. Unite us as one body of believers. Give us vision for your church. Let us be united in our passion. Give us grace that abounds. Lord, we desire what you desire. Show us your heart for unity and let us pursue that and pray for that as you did.
Amen
About the Author
Mollie is recently married to her wonderful husband Dustin. She is a Wound Care RN at McKenzie Willamette Hospital. She enjoys being creative, getting outdoors and spending time with friends and family.