That They May Be One
You have probably known me long enough by now to know that my heart beats for God’s People, His Church. The great ache of my heart is to see God’s children walk together in unity and love and reconciliation.
Jesus prayed that we would all be one, just as He and His Father are one, so that the world would believe that He is just who He claims to be, Messiah and Savior of the world. Along with that, He also prayed that we would love one another just as He has loved us, so that the watching world would know that we are truly His disciples.
You do, I hope, realize what is at stake here. If we refuse to walk together in unity, our message to a watching world is that Jesus is a phony. And if we refuse to love one another just as He has loved us, the watching world has every right to conclude that we surely are not His disciples. That’s what’s at stake!
Today, I came across a song from Promise Keepers that that the men across this nation sang at some very powerful stadium filling rallies in the summer of 1996. I will never forget standing with 50,000 other men in the Oakland Coliseum that summer, singing together, The Restoration Song. The theme of that week at Promise Keepers was Break Down the Walls.
In some ways, that has been the goal of my ministry ever since. Some think that I sound like a broken record, when I call God’s children to walk together as one, loving and forgiving one another along the way. I’ll tell you what, I’ll move on to another topic as soon as I see Brothers and Sisters in Christ, laying down their lives in love for one another, and in humility, considering others as more important than themselves (Philippians 2:1-4). Since that summer, nothing has changed, unity, love, and reconciliation among His children is still the great desire of God’s heart, so that the world will know that Jesus is who He claims to be and that we indeed are His disciples.
I want to invite you to take some time to prayerfully read the lyrics below, while, at the same time, going to the YouTube link and sing along with the Maranatha Singers. Then, humbly ask the Lord to remove any barriers that there may be in your heart, barriers that would hinder the unity and love and reconciliation for which Jesus prayed. I long to see His prayer gloriously answered at San Francisco Chinese Alliance Church. I pray that you do too!
The Reconciliation Song (Promise Keepers 1995)
Oh let us be the generation of reconciliation and peace
And let us be a holy nation where pride and prejudice shall cease
Let us speak the truth in love to the lost and least of these
Let us serve the Lord in unity so others will believe
Let us be the generation of reconciliation and peace
Oh let us be the generation of reconciliation and peace
And let us build on one foundation till He comes and the wars of men shall cease
Let us share the love of Jesus without hypocrisy
Let mercy and forgiveness begin with you and me
Let us be the generation of reconciliation and peace
Have we not one Father? Have we not one faith?
And have we not one calling to become one holy race?
Let us be the generation of reconciliation and peace
And let us pray for restoration and let us seek the Lord together on our knees
Let us keep our hearts from evil and cling to what is good
Let us honor one another and love the brotherhood
And let us be the generation of reconciliation and peace
Let us be the generation of reconciliation and peace