Words of Life: An Enduring Legacyنموونە

Legacy: better as one.

I’m not much of a daredevil, but I’m always amazed by those who, for fun, stand on the edge of a platform or bridge and leap into the abyss, held only by a thick bungee cord. What’s even more amazing, perhaps, is that this single cord is actually made up of many individual thin strands of elastic, woven together as one. Alone, each strand has no weight-bearing capacity, but together, they are more than strong enough to hold a person.

This image illustrates the final thing that Jesus prays for in his ‘Farewell Discourse’. His last plea is that all who believe in him ‘may be one’. Jesus’ prayer is that his legacy would be a people united – bound together by their belief in him. It’s a recognition that individual strands may snap under pressure, but together they form a powerful, unbreakable force. It’s astonishing to think that more than 2,000 years ago, Jesus prayed for us – those who would come to believe in him – and at the heart of his prayer was unity among all believers.

Given the vast diversity of beliefs, personalities and practices among Christians – even within a single corps or church, let alone all Christian traditions worldwide – unity can seem almost impossible. In fact, in verse 23, Jesus states that complete unity within the Church will serve as proof to the world that God sent him. It’s as if he’s saying that such unity seems so far-fetched, it could only happen through divine intervention.

This poses challenging questions for all who follow Christ. Is Jesus’ prayer being answered in our day? Where do we contribute to division and discord? What barriers prevent us from being united and reconciled to others? How are we fostering unity within our corps and the wider Church? These verses reveal Jesus’ deep longing for a Church that is stronger – better – together.

What might I need to do today to create unity with others?