unity?

"My prayer is not for them (the disciples) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me though their message, that

all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in You.

May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.

May they be bought to

complete unity to

let the world know that

you sent me and have

loved them even as you have

loved me."

-Prayer of Jesus, John 17:20-23

I get so frustrated when I see how much we are segregated and divided in the body of Christ. I wish we could truly be all-in-this-together.

I wish we were not divided by doctrine, theology and differing scriptural interpretation.

I wish it could be enough to be a Christ-follower and that we were not segregated into other groups - subcultures within "Christendom".

I don't despise particular denominations - I simply cannot stand the different amount of views there are in competition - DIVIDING US - within this church...

What is ridiculous to me is this:

Many of the doctrines which divide us WILL NOT MATTER once we all get to heaven!

i.e. the doctrine of salvation is a HUGE dividing factor in the church! Calvinists, Armenians, and all in-between!

1. If we ARE sharing the gospel while we are on this earth

&

2. We WILL all (both sides) be in heaven together -

then - WHY does it even matter??? God's will and purpose will be carried out regardless of what we believe about HOW OR WHY!

Jesus prayed for us to be unified (there, we would be the strongest witness to the world); I see us as the opposite of unified...

There, obviously, has got to be one truth.

Obviously, both sides of these arguments use scripture to "back-up" their interpretations.

AND both believe they are right.

Frankly, I don't believe man can fully comprehend or explain God's ways...

What we thought won't matter in the end. There won't be a crown for the Calvinists or the Armenians declaring "who was right", we will all be on our knees in AWE before our Creator.

Don't misunderstand me, what we believe here IS crucial because it shapes our view of God and effects the way we live, but these beliefs that become dividing forces are not advancing the cause of Christ or the gospel of Jesus!

This saddens and frustrates me!

I wish it was a perfect world where we all got along. I feel like if any of us should be at peace and IN love with one another, it should be US (those who claim to know Him).

I want to pray, like Jesus did, for us to be brought into unity.

But, when I first thought of praying, my first reaction was to brush off the idea, because unity seems too far gone. I don't see it getting better.

But then I thought -

Jesus (God himself) prayed for us to be brought into unity.

God already could see

how we would end up

and yet Jesus still prayed that in the WILL OF THE FATHER!

So, who am I to say my prayers would be worth nothing, or null and void?

If Jesus himself prayed for us to become unified, why shouldn't I too?

Anyway, sort of a long rant to say something simple,

if you read this far - thank you :) hope it made sense in your noggin!

Anna