One of the things that the church struggles with is the division that we see so often among believers and from one congregation to another. The church is not supposed to be divided. In fact, it is supposed to be so united that the world envies us for the closeness we share.
Paul wrote about a closeness that characterized the early church:
Colossians 3:14
“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”
We see that love leads to unity but what are the things that Paul refers to in the first part of that sentence? Beyond what things? If we look at the earlier verses of that chapter, Paul tells us exactly how we create this love that produces unity in the church. This is what he says:
Colossians 3:1-2
“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”
When we get so involved in political debates, social issues, money concerns, buildings, personal preferences and other earthly matters, we take our eyes off of God and lose sight of the goal of unity.
My advice is this: if we want to improve our love for each other, we need to make sure that we are praying for our church and our fellow believers every day. When we pray, our eyes are on God and our hearts begin to break for those for whom we are praying. That is how love begins. It’s when we desire good things for someone else.
So, pray. Pray for those people sitting all around you in your church on Sunday morning and pray for the other churches in your community. Pray for them and then watch what a tremendous difference your church can make in your town. The world is already watching ... and waiting.
1 Peter 3:8
“To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit.”