20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for
those who will believe in me through their message, 21 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.
In March, 1935, Charles de Gaulle and Gaston Palewsky
realized that the Nazi movement in Germany would become a real threat to
France. They proposed a bill to the Assemblée Nationale to create a specialized
corps based on an armored division as soon as possible to prepare for an
eventual confrontation with Germany. The President of the Council, Léon Blum
turned it down.
On May 10, 1940, France was officially attacked by the
Nazis, and 46 days later they were forced to surrender. Their enemy had won!
But Charles de Gaulle was far from defeated. From the BBC station in London, he
encouraged the French people to resist the Nazis and to never give up.
Immediately the government of Vichy in occupied France
ordered Charles to return to France. When he persisted in calling the French
people to arms, the government of Vichy revoked his promotion to the rank of
General (June 22). On July 4, Charles was sentenced to 4 years in prison, as
well as a fine of 100 francs for refusing to obey an order, and on August 2,
1940, he was sentenced to death, with dishonorable discharge from the army and
confiscation of his property. Contrary to this declaration by the government of
Vichy, Charles de Gaulle was awarded the title of "Leader of the free
French" by the British government on June 28th.
It's clear that the French at that time were far from
united. In fact, the division in their ranks was one of the major reasons they
were so easily invaded by the Nazi army on June 25th, 1940.
And now we, as followers of Jesus the Christ, face a
similar crisis. John 17:20-21 is preached, but most of us shrug off its
content.
As we look we see the world doesn't believe. According to
Jesus, one of the main reasons is that we are not united, and where unity does
not reign, love is also an unknown concept!
Shocking news! According to John 17:20-21, if we are not
one, we haven't even experienced being one with God!
If we, individually, think that we are right and that we
know better than other believers, then just like on May 10, 1940, we are
heading for catastrophe! If we are eager to talk behind anyone's back in
church, we are missing the opportunity to testify to the world! How could truth
be amongst discord, criticism and indifference?
Our message isn't about doctrinal differences between
denominations! Our message isn't that we are the only true church! Our message
is a simple one: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
(John 3:16)
Unity can only occur when we set aside any self-interest
and start demonstrating pure, genuine love, a love from above, demonstrated by
the crucified One. That kind of unadulterated love can only start to grow by
experiencing God intimately.
Unity, after all, is proof that love lives in us!
Dear Lord, we pray that love would take hold of our heart
and let You be the forefront of our heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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