God seems to be really blessing Unity between churches at the moment. I’m so glad that Jesus did not command us to be united, rather he prayed that Father would unite us. What He did do was command us to love each other as He had loved us.

It is natural for those who have the Holy Spirit to love each other and yet we often find ourselves in conflict. Paul says, in his first letter to the Corinthians, that it is a sign of immaturity and carnality to be falling out. Yet God’s people are still not united. Why is this? 

The answer probably comes in Galatians 5 where Paul lists a number of characteristics which remain within us. They include: selfish ambition, contention, jealousy and wrath. James, the brother of Jesus, makes the point that we fall out because we want our own way and are willing to fight to get it (James 4). We may desire unity but we desire our own way more. 

So, what do we do about it? GROW UP! True spiritual maturity will be manifest in love and the ability to forgive and forbear. The one who prayed that we would be united is the one who laid down His life for us. It was our sin that He took upon Himself, not His. He could have argued that He saw no reason why He should have to suffer for our sin but He didn’t. Thus, He is honoured and glorified. The path to honour is through love.

By this they will know that we are His disciples:

If we have a sign outside our church, 

if we wear a WWJD bracelet, 

if our car has a fish symbol,

If we have love for one another.