“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” Jn. 15:23
Jesus calls us to abide in Him. To abide means to “dwell, to be held, kept continually”. The Word tells us that nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ. No thing is capable to divide us against Him. Nothing. For even in the midst of our brokenness, God calls us to remain in His steadfast love. Yet, all too many times we dismiss His love by making a thing out of His Word to bring division rather than to resolve conflict. All too often, we are excessively concerned about the opinions of men and consult the created rather than the One who created all things. The Word tells us:
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:1-4
God has prepared great things for His Church to accomplish but it takes Oneness to release His power and will to effectively heal and restore. God provides a living unity and it is activated by His Word and Spirit. At the center of God’s heart is a gentle but unyielding pursuit to capture our hearts with a love that leads us in the familial warmth of His presence. The life Jesus calls us into is a life of union and family hood. Daniel Migliore defines the concept of perfect union within the triune God by stating: “In His presence there is a living unity that includes differentiation and relationship. In the unity of the triune God there is difference without division, self-giving without self-loss, and eternal life in ceaseless harmony and peace.” God calls us into His presence that we may experience a continual and ever increasing dosage of this caliber of union within the family of God. By His Spirit’s renewal, together, we can stand shoulder-to-shoulder on an unshakable foundation to be beacon of light for our families, communities, and the nations.
Our God is the supreme bridge-builder. The Maker of heaven and earth, whose splendor sustains the very fabric of the universe is the Great I Am. He chose to make His dwelling in tents built by human hands with the sole purpose to engage with His creation. The God who established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding stretched out the heavens is the same God who exchanged His mantle of divinity for the rags of men to gain our love. We are worth that much to Him. His love for us is so extravagant that He was willing to sacrifice it all and chose to relinquish His heavenly dwelling to make a home for Himself in the hearts of men.
“Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Ph. 2:5-8
Jesus’ mission is to heal and unify through reconciliation. We, the Church are His reconcilers for a broken world. Let us relinquish everything that spurs division. May His light break through the darkness as our faith overcomes in this life. The Word of God has the power to heal and to transform. An open heart is all it takes . May the Church open her heart wide to receive a willing spirit to mend the tears and rebuild broken bridges. The Kingdom of God is revealed through His Church. Therefore, may His Kingdom come, may His will be done. Let passion arise in our hearts for the living Word of God that we may walk in oneness and experience the fulfillment of His will for His Church. May we receive God’s Word and Spirit to ignite our faith so that together, we may build up God’s forever family.
Prayer: Father, may my heart be Your dwelling place. Unify Your Church. May we have a newfound love for Your Word and Spirit. May we pray for a living unity to ignite passion and vision for our families, churches, and communities. I believe that You can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to Your power that is at work within us. Send us out by the power of your Word and Spirit. Jesus, our hope remains in You.
Additional verses: Eph. 3:20; 1 Cor. 2:9-10; Jn. 15:4; Ro. 8:38-39; Ph. 1:27; Ex. 3:14; Jer. 51:15; Is. 8:18; Matt. 6:10; 2 Cor. 6:13; Jn. 14:23
