People come from every background and culture, but in the Name of Jesus, we find common ground - common unity, community.
If we actually listen to one another, we’re apt to discover we usually share basic beliefs in God the Father our creator, the Son of God Jesus Christ our Savior, and the indwelling Holy Spirit our empowerment and guide.
And, if we really listen to people with opposing views, we’re apt to realize we usually want and need the same things: Family, friends, safety, shelter, water, food, housing, work, adequate income, respect, forgiveness, love, joy, peace, healing, faith in something or someone bigger than ourselves.
Disunity arises, however, as our priorities change. What we need most today might not be what we most needed last year. Meanwhile, “They” have varying needs and priorities too, so with almost eight billion people on earth, how can “they” and “we” ever match up – need for need, priority for priority?
We can’t! Nor do
we need to think or be exactly alike. We’re each unique, thank God! However, we
all need the Mind of Christ, which means loving other people as we do
ourselves, regardless of our differences. It means forgiving one another,
treating each other with respect, and not being quick to assume or judge. It
means reading the Bible to see what God wants and praying to receive the Mind
of Christ. It means genuinely praying this Bible prayer from the Apostle Paul
and believing God can do what we cannot accomplish alone.
Romans 15:5–6, 13 – a prayer of Paul
from the King James Version
of the Bible
Now the God of patience
and consolation grant you
to be likeminded one
toward another
according to Christ Jesus:
That ye may with one mind
and one mouth glorify God,
even the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Now the God of hope fill you
with all joy and peace in believing,
that ye may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Ghost.
From the
Book of KJV Prayers - actual prayers from
the King James Version of the Bible
(KJV) collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019
Romans 15:5–6, 13 – a prayer of Paul
paraphrased into contemporary English
God Who gives us
endurance
and encouragement,
please give us
a spirit of unity
among ourselves.
As we follow Christ Jesus,
may we glorify You –
God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ –
with one heart, one mouth.
God of hope, fill us
with all joy and peace
as we trust You –
as our hope overflows
by the power
of Your Holy Spirit.
From the
Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of
translations researched on Bible
Gateway then paraphrased into everyday
English by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019.
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