Wholehearted Together in Jesus
Many dishes, one table, a simple picture of being one in Jesus.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More, Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Unity in the church matters because Jesus has already made us one in Himself. Ray Stedman reminds us that the ground of our togetherness is not a brand, a style, or a personality, it is the name of Jesus. We share His life. We belong to one Lord. That is why division cuts so deeply, it disagrees with who we already are in Him.
Paul’s appeal in 1 Corinthians 1:10 is not a call to clone one another. It is an invitation to be perfectly joined, the kind of harmony that comes when hearts are set on the same Person. We will not all think the same thoughts about every issue. We can, however, carry the same mind that Jesus carried, the self-giving posture that gladly yields rights for the good of others and the honor of the Lord.
When we choose the mind of Christ, unity becomes practical. Instead of arguing for the upper hand, we take the lower place. Instead of guarding personal preference, we guard the bond of peace. The Spirit turns a roomful of different people into one body that moves together. It is not uniformity, it is life shared in Jesus.
This posture aligns with a corporate salvation lens. In Christ, God has made a people. He has joined us to His Son and to one another. Our life together flows from that shared union. We are learning to live what we already are, one body in Jesus, with one Spirit, one hope, and one calling. Thank you, Ray Stedman, for pointing us back to the simple center, Jesus Himself.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I am the Spirit of the Lord Jesus living in you and among you. I call you to agree in your speech and to lay down the small banners that fragment My people. I have placed you in one body, so think with sober judgment about yourselves and about one another, as members who belong to each other in Me.
Let the mind of the Son be your shared posture. He did not cling to position, He chose the servant way, He walked the road of obedience for the joy set before Him. Take His yoke. Prefer one another. Bear with one another. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, and let My peace be the atmosphere that rules your hearts together.
Guard the unity I have already given. I am the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit. I dwell in you, I knit you together, I supply what each joint needs. Refuse the wisdom that is harsh and self-exalting. Seek the wisdom from above that is pure, peaceable, open to reason, full of mercy, impartial, and sincere. Sow peace, and I will raise a harvest of righteousness among you.
Your life is now in Christ. You were buried with Him and raised to walk in newness of life. He lives in you, and I make His life practical in your words, your decisions, your tone, and your timing. When a disagreement comes, remember who you are together, chosen and dearly loved. Let the word of the Messiah dwell among you richly. Whatever you do, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus with thankfulness, and I will make His love visible through you.
Real-Life Analogy
Think of a family dinner where everyone brings a different dish. The flavors are distinct, but the table is one. Conversation flows, plates are passed, and no single recipe dominates the meal. Unity is not every plate tasting the same, it is many dishes shared at one table with a single center.
Bring this into today. If a tense email thread at work starts to polarize the team, quietly yield your posture to the Lord and say, Lord, I entrust this conversation to You, express Your humility, patience, and clarity through me right now. Then choose words that serve the common good, acknowledge the best point on the other side, and offer a solution that advances the shared goal. The Spirit within you is well able to turn a fractured thread into a fruitful exchange.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, thank You that in Jesus we are already one body with one Spirit. Thank You that the mind of the Son is ours to put on, and that Your peace is the bond that holds us together. I agree with Your design. I am content to take the lower place for Your honor and the good of others. I affirm that Christ lives in me, and by Your indwelling presence You make my tone gentle, my words truthful, and my steps eager to maintain the unity You have given. Today, I gladly walk as a member of Your people, grateful that Your love is the center and Your glory is the aim. Amen.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section
John 17:20-23; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Romans 12:3-5; Philippians 2:1-5; Philippians 2:6-8; Ephesians 4:1-6; Colossians 3:12-15; Colossians 3:16-17; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4-6; Romans 8:9-11; James 3:17-18; 1 Peter 3:8; 1 John 4:12