Abide, Adore, Ask and Agree: 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting With Rock City ChurchSample

DAY 16

God’s heart is for unity in His bride (the church). In John 17, Jesus prayed over future believers, specifically that they would be one just as He and the Father are one. God’s heart is also for every nation and people group. In Revelation 7, John sees a vision of heaven and describes it in this way in verse 9: “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”

These two passages reveal the kingdom of God as both unified and diverse. One example of King Jesus living this out is in Luke 4. In verses 18-19, Jesus shared what His public ministry would look like according to the prophecy found in Isaiah 61. In response to this, the crowds spoke well of him until He shared His ministry would reach all people: male and female, rich and poor, Jew and gentile. At this, the crowd tried to throw Him off a cliff (see verse 29).

No one needs to be convinced that the kingdom of the world is woefully and cruelly divided by differences. Contending for the kingdom of heaven on earth means we challenge the division we see, as Jesus did, both by praying for unity in the church and by proclaiming the good news to ALL people.

REFLECTION

Ask the Lord to bring to your mind someone you can love and serve this week or with whom you can share a meal in the coming weeks.

PRAYER FOCUS

Pray for unity in the church.