Daily Bread

"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one — as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!

O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them."

John recounts the prayer of Jesus, where he prays that his disciples would be one with each other and also one with himself and God. This spiritual oneness is a sign of divine love and it's kinda difficult to explain what oneness is — but I'm gonna have a go!

For several years I played in a band and after a while we began to operate as a single unit. For example, I could sense where the bass player was going, and we would be in sync without having to say a word. It was like we clicked into a way of being one entity rather than being a bunch of individual instrumentalists. This same thing happens with well-oiled teams, military units, and other groups, and it's a bit like this with our spiritual oneness.

We Christians are destined to be of one heart and mind and to share the heart and mind of God. Jesus prays that we will see the world with God's eyes and be united in thought, word, and deed. This means we agree to live open and generous lives, where the poor and marginalised are welcomed — where in any given situation or circumstance there is no debate whether we should act with love or not.

For example, sometimes, when I see someone who needs loving, I invite them back to our house for food knowing that Helen will welcome them with open arms. I don't need to ask Helen if it's okay! We are of one heart and mind on the matter — and we are in one heart and mind with God. And it's the same with church, as we seek to be the people God has called us to be, we act as a single unit or entity rather than a bunch of individuals.

Sometimes it can feel like churches are a long way from this ideal of oneness, but I think the answer is for each of us to gently open ourselves to God's love, approach God with humility, and humbly ask the Spirit of God to fill us, guide us, and transform us.

As we seek to be open to God and walk the path towards oneness, I am reminded of the Graham Kendrick song, O Lord, Your Tenderness:

O Lord Your tenderness
Melting all my bitterness
O Lord I receive Your love
O Lord Your loveliness
Changing all my ugliness
O Lord I receive Your love

Holy God
I long to be of one heart and mind with you.
May I be so open to your Spirit
that I see the world with your eyes
and be an agent of your unending love.
Now and forever.