Prayer For Unity

Charles H. Perkins

Prayer For Unity

(Romans 12:5)…so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

(1 Corinthians 12:12) For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

(1 Corinthians 12:13) For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

(1 Corinthians 12:14) For in fact the body is not one member but many.

(John 17:20-23) “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will[e] believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Jesus did not live, die and resurrect to establish a divided church.

If the Jesus you believe in favors you and your racial group over others, you believe in the wrong Jesus.  If you believe in a Jesus who favors your political group over others, you are serving the wrong Jesus. If  your Jesus favors your place of national origin or your class, or your domination over others, then you believe in the wrong Jesus. If you believe in a Jesus that makes you feel superior to other Christians for any reason, then you believe in the wrong Jesus. If you believe in a Jesus who favors you and your group over other Christians for any reason, then you believe in the wrong Jesus.

Jesus did not live, die and resurrect to establish a divided church.

O Lord, I pray that as we go into the new year of 2017, we can tear down the strong holds that divide us in the Body of Christ.  I pray that we no longer divide over something as silly as race.  Let us not divide over our political beliefs.  I pray that nationalism will no longer divide us.  Let us put aside classism, elitism, racism and any other “isms” that divide us.  All through Your word You call for us to be one, united and on one accord in our love for You.  Let us not continue to put the concerns of this world ahead of our obedience to You and Your word.  I pray that the Church will come home, come back to our place in Christ Jesus.  Lord, You did not say that we would be known as Yours by our race or by the fact that we speak English, Spanish, French, Hebrew, Greek or any other language.  You did not say that we would be known as Yours by our political beliefs, our denominations or our culture.  You did not bring up any of those things.  You said that we would be known as Yours by the fact that we LOVE one another as You love us.  And through this love, we are one and on one accord.  It is through this love that our light will shine and we will glorify You wherever we live. Whatever country, culture or society we are living in, our love one for another will be a beacon of light in this dark world.  I pray that in 2017, we will put aside the childish things that divide us and grow in the grace and love that unite us in You, O Lord.