The longing for unity is written into the soul of every human being. It can be dismissed, ignored, or corrupted, but the drive toward oneness remains a rock-solid reality.
Think for a moment about the pandemic through which we are maneuvering. How many times have you heard: “We will get through this together.” It’s not only our hope to survive the pandemic. It’s our collective desire to survive it together with others.
Here’s another example: Every time the Olympics come around, there is always conversation about the wonder of seeing all the nations competing. More importantly, there is the expressed hope that this will lead us toward unity among those nations.
And as we face racial unrest together, the push toward justice has also been accompanied by hopes and prayers for unity.
So, how do we know that the longing for unity is a real possibility and not just some utopian dream?
I believe the unity of the human race is not just a possibility but the whole trajectory of redemption. When Jesus appeared, He set a course in history that will take the human race into true unity.
The best way to see this is to look at a part of the prayer He spoke right before His death. In John 17, He first prays for Himself and then His disciples. Finally, He prays for all who will believe in Him throughout history.
What is the one thing He prays for? Wisdom, peace, love? No. He prays for unity:
…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you (John 17:21).
In light of how Jesus prayed for unity, here are four prayers for unity among all people:
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