Strong spirits: unity

Does God have a favorite number?

I'm convinced that God's favorite number is one.  And that he likes it both from a numerical sense and from a unity sense.

In a letter he wrote to friends, Paul the apostle hits one of those senses when he writes, "There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all" (Ephesians 4:4-6).  Numerical sense.

Jesus prayed, "I pray that they (his followers) may all be one.  Father!  May they be in us, just as you are in me, and I am in you.  May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me"  (John 17:21)  Unity sense.

One of the biggest problems in the Church is that we are not one.  We are splintered and split every which way.  Only as we work for and find our common ground in Jesus will the rest of the world discover that the Father sent the Son.  And that Jesus is for all. Unity is not optional.

Any task that we might attempt will be far more effective and successful when we work together.  How might you work for unity this week?  Truly, in Jesus we have more in common than what divides us.

Besides serving as pastor at Caledonia Congregational Church, Gary Schwerin is the Spiritual Development Minister for the YMCA of the Rock River Valley and Executive Director of Bridge Ministries of Rockford. Prior to launching Bridge Ministries, Gary spent many years in leadership with Young Life. His columns appear here every Sunday - to see them all, subscribe to our daily email.