Bound Together in Unity

Colossians 3:14

And over all these virtues put on love,

which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Paul wrote these words because he knew the prayer Jesus prayed for all believers. 

John 17:21-23

..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 have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and 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.

Just before Jesus went into the garden to be betrayed by Judas, he prayed for us, as Christians, as believers in the gospel of Christ, to be brought to complete unity. To be in complete unity does not mean we will all agree on every point, rather it means we will all be unified that Christ is King, He is our salvation, He gave up His life and died on a cross and on the third day, by the power of God He was raised from the dead, so all who believe will have eternal life.  There is no one greater truth we need to learn while on earth and when we begin living as if this truth is the only truth that matters, we begin to live differently and learn to put our differences aside. It is our differences that make us uniquely us, as God intended, but when we use our differences in thought or opinion against each other it causes a divide. And no where does Christ pray for us to be divided. 

Paul understood that no matter what, our daily goal is to seek Christ and live our lives as His example, to put on love to bind all together in perfect unity. Paul understood that there was a great cost if he did not do this.  He chose to be an instrument of Christ’s truth and lead others to Him, not allow his words and actions to turn others away. During this Lenten season, Sit with God. Be Still and Know that I Am God. Seek Him constantly, pray for peace and love to fill your heart to share with others, to be that example of love that brings unity, to set a side anything that may cause a divide between you and someone else. Learn from Him to live in unity. 

Psalm 133: 1

How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity