This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Building Together: “It Takes ALL of us” (WATCH HERE)
Ephesians 4:1–6 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Unity is not something we manufacture through clever programs, perfect agreement, or sheer willpower. Unity is a gift God has already given His people through Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us that there is “one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all.” Before Paul tells us what we should do, he reminds us of what God has already done.
Through Jesus, God has brought us into one family. We may have different personalities, preferences, backgrounds, ages, opinions, and abilities, but those differences do not change what we share in Christ. We have one Savior. We belong to one body. We have been joined to Christ through one baptism. We share one hope.
That changes the way we look at one another.
When we forget that unity is God’s gift, we can begin to treat people who disagree with us as problems rather than people Christ has placed alongside us. We can become more concerned about getting our way than building up the body. Personal preferences can slowly become personal battles.
That’s why Paul says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Notice that he doesn’t say make unity. He says keep it. God has already given the gift; our calling is to guard it.
This applies far beyond the church. The same temptation can creep into our marriages, families, friendships, and workplaces. We can allow a disagreement, disappointment, or difference of opinion to become a dividing wall.
Jesus prayed for His followers, “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (John 17:21). Christian unity is a powerful witness to the world because it shows what the Gospel does. Christ takes people who are different and brings them together around Himself.
So today, don’t begin by asking, “How can I get everyone to agree with me?” Begin by remembering, “What has Christ already given us?”
Then ask how you can protect that gift.
Perhaps it means listening before responding. Maybe it means letting go of a preference. Maybe it means seeking forgiveness or offering it. Maybe it means remembering that the person who frustrates you is also someone for whom Christ died.
Unity is not something we build. Unity is something Christ gives. And what Christ gives, we are called to guard.
Reflect: Is there a relationship in which my pride, preferences, or expectations may be creating division? What might it look like to guard the unity Christ has given? How would remembering that another Christian is part of the same body of Christ change the way I respond to them?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for making me part of Your body and for giving me brothers and sisters in Christ. Forgive me for the times my pride, preferences, or selfishness have created division. Give me a humble and patient heart. Help me recognize the unity You have already given us and faithfully guard it through forgiveness, patience, peace, and love. Keep our families and congregation centered on You, our one Lord and Savior. Amen.