God’s Heart for Unity
Eventually the Lord shows you that it is not only people that you like that He likes. Then you are scandalized: God will love anybody! Of course that is very good news. Then He begins to show you that He loves and forgives those whom you do not understand. He pours out His Spirit even on those groups that just do everything the wrong way. He even loves those who have wounded you.
As we respond: “Lord, what You do with them is your business. But don’t try to bring any of Your love for them through me.” But there we have a big problem. Love is not a substance that God keeps in a pouch. God is love. He never stops loving, because that is who, and what He is.
In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace which He has freely given to us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding (Eph. 1:4b-8).
[Jesus said] “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matt. 10:8b)
So when we sing the prayer to the Lord: “More love, more power, more of you in my life” but excuse ourselves somehow from loving what God loves (the whole church) we are asking God in effect to divide Himself.
This is clearly impossible if we push away His love for our brothers, or for our enemies. But in doing so, we are pushing away from Him. We may try to proceed with business as usual. Maybe pump up the volume a little bit. Sing an extra verse. Try to recreate the magic. When we resist God’s invitation to be channels of His love, we have pushed away the love of God.
For a season we may be able to get away with unforgiveness, and acts of disunity. But once He shows us the love He has for the whole church, we cannot resist it without resisting the very presence of God. Nothing smells more putrid than worship activity after the presence of God has departed.
It does not matter how high we raise our hands, or how fervent our “sacrifice,” or how aggressively we praise. Like 1 Corinthians 13 says, all the worship activity in the world without love is simply a clanging cymbal. The Lord is searching for worship leaders who will lead the way in interceding and groaning for this unity.
From Worship Update (1st Quarter 1997), “God’s Heart for Unity” Mercy/Vineyard Publishing. Used by permission.
Category: Ministry, Summer 2001
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