Day 12: Kingdom Unity: The Bond of Peace - 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting
One Family Under One King
Welcome to Day 12 of our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. Yesterday we received the peace of Jesus for our own hearts. Today we see what that peace does between us.
Paul writes:
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3 (NIV)
A Gift to Guard
Unity Is Given
Notice that Paul does not tell us to create unity. He tells us to keep it. The Holy Spirit has already made us one. There is one body and one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all (Ephesians 4:4–6). In a church called All Nations, that is something we get to see with our own eyes.
Unity Takes Effort
What the Spirit gives, we are responsible for guarding. “Make every effort” is strong language. Unity does not survive by accident. It can be damaged by a careless word, an old grudge or a refusal to listen.
What Unity Is Made Of
In the verse before, Paul describes the attitudes that hold God’s people together: being completely humble and gentle, being patient, and bearing with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2).
Humility. In humility we value others above ourselves (Philippians 2:3). Most division begins with someone needing to be right.
Patience. Bearing with one another assumes there will be something to bear.
Forgiveness. We forgive as the Lord forgave us (Colossians 3:13).
Love. Over all these virtues we put on love, which binds them together in perfect unity (Colossians 3:14).
Unity is not uniformity. We do not have to share a culture, a generation or an opinion on everything. We share a Lord.
Why It Matters So Much
Jesus prayed that all who believe in Him would be one, so that the world may believe that the Father sent Him (John 17:21). Our unity is part of our witness. A watching world learns something about God from the way His people treat each other.
The psalmist says it simply: how good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity (Psalm 133:1).
Three Steps for Today
Check your heart. Is there pride, unforgiveness or a critical attitude in you that is working against unity? Bring it to God.
Mend one thing. Is there a strained relationship you have avoided? Take the first step: a message, a call or an apology.
Pray for the church. Pray for unity in our church family and among Christians across our city.
Prayer for Today:
Heavenly Father, thank You for making us one family through Your Spirit. Forgive me for the times my pride or my words have damaged that unity. Make me humble, gentle and patient. Show me where I need to seek peace, and give me the courage to do it. Bind our church together in love, so that the world may believe in Jesus. In His name, Amen.
Keep going
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