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Week 15: ONE IN LOVE
(Jesus said) "The glory that You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one even as We are one, I in them and You in Me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them even as You loved Me" (John 17:22-23).
John 17 is Jesus' last prayer for His disciples before His execution. Again, He repeats His concern that we should all be one. He even compares this oneness to the oneness of the Trinity. He is urgent about this oneness.
What is this oneness? Some people think it's about organization: "Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have denominations anymore, but instead there was one unified Christian church?" If that's the standard, Jesus' prayer was an epic fail. Others think it's about opinion: all Christians speaking with one voice on all issues. We fail at this, too.
So what was Jesus thinking? I don't know, but He seems to link it closely with love. He says our oneness will show the world that God sent Him and loved us even as He loved Christ. He asks that the Father's love for Jesus may be in us, too.
If I look at our oneness in terms of love, I am comforted. We get so many things wrong, but this
is one thing we sometimes get right. I've seen it in action, and I bet you have, too.
Years ago, a refugee mother came to America with three children. Days later the mother died, leaving them alone in a strange country. The city, the county, and the refugee resettlement agency fought over her body -everyone trying to avoid the cost of final expenses. Someone noticed on her paperwork she had been baptized in the Philippines; they called our church. When our pastor heard what was going on, he became angry. "She is ours;' he said. "We will handle the burial-you all go away:'
The Lutheran church claimed her body and cared for the orphans. A Christian funeral home director gave us a discounted price. The church paid for everything. Two or three Christian families of other denominations stepped forward to foster the children. (I think they were mostly Baptist.) They grew up and are doing well.
Sometimes, when it comes to the oneness of love, we get it right - by the grace and mercy of God.
PRAY
Dear Father, help us to love one another and to become one as Jesus prayed. Amen.
REFLECT
-Why do you think love was on Jessus’ mind the night before He died?
-When have you seen the church act with love and unity?
-When has God worked through you to love someone unexpectedly?
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Taken from 30 Days of Household Prayers by Lutheran Hour Ministries
For more devotions like this check out LHM
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