Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus, so that with one purpose and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6, NASB
I was standing at the foot of a 50-foot cross at a site known as “Holy Land USA” in Waterbury, Connecticut, watching bees fly in and out of the roses surrounding the base of the cross. Normally, I would have fled because I am allergic to bee stings, but I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Watch and listen.” So I watched intently as the bees flew into one rose to deposit pollen, take pollen or nectar from that rose, and then fly to a completely different plant and repeat the process. If a rose was open, it would fly in and get to work. But if the rose had not opened, the bee would fly around it a few times and then leave. It never forced its way into an unopened rose.
Through this experience, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that this was a picture of God’s design for unity in the Church. In order for the body of Christ to bear the beauty of God’s love, we all have to keep our hearts open to other believers. God wants His people to work together, freely giving and receiving our gifts, talents, and efforts for His glory.
How well do the believers and churches in your area work together? Have you participated in or heard of gatherings or projects where two or more churches came together for one cause? The Bible says that our unified prayers are a sweet fragrance in the throne room of Heaven. Your unity is pleasing to God and a witness among people. Too often, we see division and discourse in our nation. Politics, practices, policies, pride, pursuit of prosperity and power, past wrongs, and many other things divide us. However, prayer can unify us.
Jesus commanded us to love, bless, and pray for our enemies. (Luke 6:27-28) How much more should we love and pray for, and with, our brothers and sisters in Christ? On this National Day of Prayer, I encourage you to take a few minutes to pray for unity in your school, among believers in your community, and our nation.
Lord, today we come before You and pray for unity among Your people and our country. Join us together as “One Nation Under God.” We hope that our prayers today are a sweet fragrance to You and that You would be glorified.
Copyright Kathy Branzell.
Kathy has a heart for encouraging Christian educators and currently serves as the President of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. Prior to this role, she was the founder and president of Fellowship and Christian Encouragement (FACE) for Educators.
