Reflection: To end the first week of this devotional series, we have Jesus’ final prayer before his crucifixion. A call to unity for all believers. A call to look like the Body of Christ, with all parts playing a unique and interconnected role.
Unfortunately, unity is often the thing we are worst at! We rush to distinguish ourselves from those “other Christians”. We look for ways to elevate our church or denomination above the rest. We fight over the relatively minor things on which we disagree and gloss over the core beliefs we all share.
This lack of unity distracts us from the ways God is seeking to work in and through us, damages our witness to the world, and diminishes our ability to love our neighbour.
Thankfully, things are changing. There is a move of the Spirit happening right now, bringing together churches, organisations and individual Christians in communities and cities around our nation.
Through the work of NAYBA, we have the privilege of witnessing and encouraging this growing unity. So, in the second week of this series, you’ll hear from some of the NAYBA family – Christian leaders from across breadth of the Australian Church – as they reflect on what it means to love our neighbour, and transform our neighbourhoods, together.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, your presence and power are undeniable. You are working in our midst, uniting us as one Church under God. Please help us to follow your lead and step towards our brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those we have previously sought to avoid. As we grow in love for one another, may we grow in love for you and for others. Amen.