Christian Relationships

I can remember telling the folks at my first pastorate about 30 years ago that I had discovered a major hindrance to evangelism. I was not yet aware of John 17:21, but I had found the truth of that verse in my interaction with people in that small community. I told them that many people would not come to the Lord or they would not come to church, because of some broken relationship with a Christian in the past. In other words, our problem in reaching people for Christ was not the gospel but the Christians. Now that I know what Jesus prayed before His death on the cross, I see that He anticipated this problem. Jesus prayed that we, as Christians, would be one, as He and the Father are one. He is speaking of a supernatural unity. None of us understand the Trinity completely, but it is a beautiful reality of One God in three persons. It is a perfect unity. Jesus desires for us to have the same unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ, so the world will see the supernatural relationships and be drawn to the Lord. When we fail in our relationships, we fail the Lord, and we fail those around us who need Jesus.

Let's not let Satan talk us into holding grudges against fellow believers or anyone else. Let's pray for the unity of Christ to be exhibited in our lives, so that others may see it clearly. Then, we will see the Spirit work in the lives of others because of this supernatural relationship.

Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 31-32 and Matthew 9:18-38.