Say the word imagine and in many people’s minds a song starts playing.  It is John Lennon’s song, Imagine.  A part of the lyrics go like this:

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do

Say what you will about his philosophy or theology, Lennon had a goal in mind when he wrote:

I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Lennon, for whatever reason and motivation, desired to see the world united.  A place without prejudice, discrimination, and hate.  Michael Jackson and other popular artists sang about the world being a better place to live—when the world must come together as one. 

Recently a young man in our neighborhood took several people hostage at a bank.  Rather than robbing the bank, he expressed through a pained heart that he simply wanted a loving family, a hug from his father.  What he was saying is he wanted unity in his home…a family where there was a common love for one another and a purpose to life; not only as a family but as individuals too. 

As followers of Christ, we should be aware that unity characterized by love, patience and grace is precisely what Christ prayed for for his followers (John 17:11, 20-23).  Jesus praying to his Father said (17:23):

I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Jesus had a very specific reason for praying that his followers be unified.  Unity was not an end in itself in this verse but a means to show the world that God sent his son, Jesus, and that God loves his people even as he loves his own son. 

When a local church is not unified, it keeps the world from seeing Jesus!  A world that doesn’t see Jesus, and hear from a church that God loves them and gave his son for them, will be left to only imagine a world where peace, patience and grace exists.    So many local churches do not experience unity and therefore can’t show off the love that God has for the world.  Is it any wonder why so many people crave unity and love?  Why so many songs are written about peace and unity?  Why so many people hunger for a place to belong that is accepting, gracious, kind and loving? 

Imagine a church that pursues unity in truth and in grace with everything it can muster (Ephesians 4:3, 13).  Imagine the life-changing, yes world-changing effect such a church could have!  Imagine the joy you would experience if you were not only part of such a church, but you actually played a major role in bringing and maintaining its unity. By God’s grace pursue unity in your church by being a Christ follower characterized by grace, truth, peace and patience. 

Imagine…it isn’t hard to do.  Practice…that’s another story.