During Holy Week, it’s moving to watch footage of worship services taking place across the globe. As believers from every denomination gather to worship Christ in their native tongues, we get a glimpse of the unity Jesus prayed for and a taste of what you can anticipate in eternity (Rev. 7:9).
It’s hard to fathom, but just before going to the cross, Jesus prayed for His disciples and future believers—in other words, Jesus prayed for you! Specifically, Jesus prayed for unity in His church (John 17:20-21). Think about that for a moment. Jesus was on the brink of unimaginable suffering—and yet, the unity of His followers was so crucial to Him that He was praying about it hours before He was taken into custody.
Unity doesn’t mean agreeing on every issue. The body of believers that make up Christ’s church is beautifully diverse and represents every nation, ethnicity, social status, education level, political persuasion, and background. That type of diversity comes with varied opinions. God loves diversity—as the Creator of the universe, He created no two people exactly alike. Unity doesn’t mean “sameness.” Unity in Christ means that people from every imaginable background agree that Jesus is Lord and worthy of our undivided love and worship.
Lord, I pray Your people will be unified in our love for You. Help me to be known for my love for You and for my brothers and sisters in Christ.
*This excerpt was first published in, A Savior is Risen: An Easter Devotional.
