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This page was last updated on May 14, 2000
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, below is an excerpt from a Christian unity prayer. Please give it prayerful consideration and, if the Spirit leads, please pray this yourself and let us agree together in it, in prayer before the Lord.
CHRISTIAN UNITY PRAYER, PART 16 OF 25: “As Broken Shards of One Vessel, We See the Father’s Will to Gather All Things Together in Christ”
We Christians are the children of your household, Father, innocent of malice for brethren of any Christian denomination or group. By making us one in love together with our brothers in your love for all your children, you make us the children of the promise who are counted for the seed of the new Israel, and you prepare us to inhabit the new holy city that comes “…down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). In this new commandment of Jesus, that we should love all our brothers, you fulfill in us your covenant to Abraham concerning the seed of Isaac and Jacob, which you spoke of by the prophet saying “For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour…” (Isaiah 43:3), and you said “…bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him” (Isaiah 43:6-7).
We, the people of your kingdom, Father, who are formed by you to unite and claim Jesus as the one king in the hearts of us all, pray now together, “…Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). We know that it is your will, Father, that we on earth be gathered together with each other and eventually with the angels in heaven, to be as one together in Jesus. By the gift of the blood of your Son, Jesus, we are redeemed; and by your continuing grace, Father, you have given us to see your will, in wisdom and without mystery, for the Bible says “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the richness of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known to us his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him” (Ephesians 1:7-10).
We see the wisdom of doing your will, Lord, and we let your will be done on earth in us to make us one in Jesus, for you spoke by the prophet saying “…let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it” (Isaiah 45:8). In having the wisdom to do your will, Lord, we see ourselves as broken shards of the same vessel which you now restore to wholeness. We may contend the understanding of the word among ourselves, as one shard to another, but we will never question the will of you, Father, to make us one together in Jesus, for you spoke through the Holy Spirit by the prophet saying “Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth? Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me” (Isaiah 45:9-11). We ask, Father, and you go on to tell us by the prophet that the whole purpose of creation is that all men who seek to be your children must assemble themselves and come together to Jesus, for the prophet writes “…God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:18). Again you said “Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations…” (Isaiah 45:20), and again you said “…That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come…” (Isaiah 45:23).
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Love in Jesus to All!
We cordially invite any interested Christian to read and pray the rest of this prayer, or just to come and talk with Christians of all backgrounds, on a Christian unity email discussion mailing list. We’d love to hear from you about any Christian topic at all, and especially to discuss any topic related to unity of all Christians, of all Christian denominations and groups. (Btw, non-Christian visitors are welcome too!) You can find info on the email discussion mailing list, which is called the “Christian Unity Conference” (CUC), or info about a combined effort on a larger prayer for Christian unity, part of which is shown above, called the “Christian Unity Prayer Project” (CUPP), by going to the following URL:
http://www.superior.net/~pjrcmr/prayerparts.html