Prayer For Unity

 PRAYER MASTERCLASS 5

Never has our world seemed more divided – white and black, rich and poor, male and female, young and old, ethnic group against ethnic group, left wing versus right wing political parties … and on and on. Into this very bleak environment Jesus’ prayer for unity rings out with tenderness and invitation.  Let’s join Jesus in that prayer today:

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

John 17:20-21

Lord in our world of anger, hatred, and divisions we dare to come to You today and pray with You for unity. 

Your heart has always been and will continue to be that we could be joined with You and with others with a cord of unbreakable love.  We know that the only way for peace and reconciliation and union to come about is that we would be surrendered to You and Your will 100% like Jesus was. 

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

John 17:22-23

The evil one works in so many ways to divide and destroy us and His agenda is always pushing people apart.  Your message and work, on the other hand, God is that people would be drawn close and in complete acceptance and truth, know the safety of unfailing love. 

The more that is expressed the more people will see the truth of who You are and Your purposes for them and for the world.  Help us today to love You with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves.

We don’t have to agree with everything others say or do, but like You, we pray to have hearts that are open and ready to receive and forgive and be restored to right relationship. 

Help us to be those who live in unity today and who do so in such a way that others are drawn to do the same.  Amen

So, a fair question for each of us today is, “What would it take for us to live in unity with others in each situation we find ourselves in today?”