Thoughts for the Day

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

I recently attended the 40th anniversary of a four-denominational Church set up on a new estate, where as a Deaconess, I had been its first full-time minister. At the anniversary service the preacher quoted part of the sermon I had given on 3rd March 1985. I had reminded those present of the opening words of their Draft Constitution:

• “Believing that Christian unity is the will of God we pledge ourselves to the establishment of a centre for worship from which to forward God's mission.”

I had continued: "A sick, undivided church, attempting to heal a sick world must expect the answer “Physician heal yourself!” It is only when the Kingdom of God can be demonstrated in our relationships of love with one another, when we have put our own house in order, that we have anything to say with any credibility to an unbelieving and broken world."

I had gone on to say: “On the coast of California are great forests of red-wood trees that grow up to 300 or more feet in height. They have a peculiar characteristic. When they come into contact with another tree they continue growing on together from their separate beginnings, so that finally they fuse into one single tree."

St Paul says in Galatians "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." What ever our differences as Christians today, we are all one in Christ!

Lord Jesus,
You spoke of the future to Your disciples, saying:
"On that day you will know that I am in my Father,
and you in me, and I in you."
May we know this unity -
in our home,
in our congregation,
in our church,
and in the world.
Help us to work towards achieving unity
wherever we can.
Amen.