I feel like I’ve been focusing on the topic of unity and being Family quite a bit lately. But I also feel that it’s necessary.
Like I mentioned in No Divisions, there’s a lot of unrest and hate and division going on. I guess that’s been going on for years and years, ever since Cain killed Abel, but my eyes have really been opened to it recently. And I just keep thinking about it, so you’ll have to bear with me. š
In my devotions today, I read about how Paul, in the book of Ephesians, told the Jews and Gentiles that they should no longer be divided. For years and years, they’d been enemies in every sense of the word; they. . . Well, let me quote here.
The idea of Jews and Gentiles getting along, respecting each other, cooperating together–no one had ever talked this way before. No one could see this happening. The fissures ran too deep. The haughtiness and hostility were too ingrained. They hated the ground the other walked on. Their aims and desires were mutually exclusive. By a country mile.
Priscilla Shirer, “Unbelievable Unity,” Awaken
Sound familiar? This is exactly the way it is today between certain people and groups. Muslims versus Christians. Pro-life versus pro-choice people. Blacks versus whites. On and on and on. And there’s no way they–we–can be friends. The divide is too great, hostility too ingrained, goals too different.
Jesus changed everything.
Priscilla Shirer, “Unbelievable Unity,” Awaken
The Jews and the Gentiles were able to join together and be a Family because of Jesus. He broke “down the middle wall of partition” (Ephesians 2:14, KJV) and connected them.
And it can be the same way today.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, right? (Hebrews 13:8) So if He brought peace and unified two very different people groups back then, He can do the same in this day and age.
We. Don’t. Have. To. Be. Divided. Jesus is our peace! We can be Family, because He connects us!
And even if someone’s not part of the Family, not a Christian or even a believer in God, we still shouldn’t be divided. I mean, yes, they shouldn’t be the ones we always go to for advice and encouragement, and we need to stand firm on our Biblical beliefs, and stuff like that. But we shouldn’t be against them or refuse to be a friend, simply because they don’t believe the way we do. And we need to show them the truth IN LOVE, as Brenna and I mentioned in the comments on “No Division.”
There’s so much pain and hate going on now, Jesus. It doesn’t affect me much or make much of a difference in my life, but just hearing/thinking about it. . . It makes me cry, and I know it breaks Your heart. Thank You for the peace You’ve brought and will continue bringing, for the walls You’ve ripped down, for the opportunity/ability You’ve provided for us to get together and be Family; and I pray that we will believe it and “go live like it.” Yes, it will be hard; it’ll take time, and effort, and strength and love only You can give. But You want us to be united, to be a Family; and I know it’ll be worth it. Help us–help me–to love as You love, to be for peace instead of war (Psalm 120:7), to desire/strive to be a “repairer of the breach” (Isaiah 58:12).
In Your peace-giving, love-filling, people-uniting name, Amen.
P.S. I’m sorry this is kind of rambling; I hope you get what I’m saying. š Do you have any thoughts or corrections, or is there anything you want to be clarified?
