United in Christ, Diverse in Expression
Unity in Christ is like a thriving forest—each tree unique, yet drawing life from the same source.
In his devotional, E. Stanley Jones highlights the beauty of unity in Christ—a unity not built on uniformity, but on diversity. As believers, we are one body in Christ, yet we do not lose our distinctiveness in that unity. God Himself, in His triune nature, models this—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each distinct, yet fully one. Jesus prayed for this kind of unity among His followers, a unity that embraces differences rather than erases them.
Jones draws a comparison to Federal Union, a system that balances the need for unity with the desire for freedom. He envisions a church that operates in the same way: one unified body with various branches, each maintaining its distinct function yet rooted in the same source—Christ. Just as a tree has many branches but one trunk, so the church thrives when it remains anchored in Christ while allowing for diverse expressions of faith.
This vision speaks to the heart of God’s design for His people. True unity does not demand sameness; it flourishes when each member contributes their unique gifting while remaining fully connected to Christ.
Personalized Journal Entry in the Holy Spirit’s Voice Through Scripture
I have placed you in My body, not as an isolated member, but as part of a living, breathing whole. You belong—not as one among many, lost in a sea of sameness, but as one uniquely fashioned to display My life in a way that no one else can. You are My workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which I prepared beforehand that you should walk in them.
I have called you to love one another, to bear with one another, to serve one another—just as I have loved you. I have knit you together in My Spirit, forming you into a dwelling place for My presence. You are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of My household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. In Him, the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in Me.
Do not strive to make yourself like others, nor demand that others conform to your image. You are My body, and just as a body has many parts, each necessary and functioning in harmony, so too are you. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But I have arranged you, every member, just as I designed, for My glory.
Remain in Me, and let My life flow through you. Do not resist the work I am doing in your brother and sister, for I am at work in each one, bringing them into the fullness of who they are in Christ. Honor what I have placed in them, and allow them to honor what I have placed in you. This is how the world will know you belong to Me—by your love for one another, your unity in diversity, and your abiding in Me.
(Scripture references: Ephesians 2:10, John 13:34-35, Ephesians 2:19-22, 1 Corinthians 12:17-18, John 15:4, Philippians 2:13)
Prayer of Trust and Confidence
Father, I thank You that in Christ, I am both fully known and fully placed within Your body. You have made me a part of something so much greater than myself. I rejoice that I do not have to strive for significance or fear insignificance, for I am exactly where You intend me to be.
You have woven Your people together in a unity that reflects Your very nature—a unity that does not erase individuality but celebrates it. Thank You for the beautiful diversity of Your body, for the unique ways You express Your life through each of us. Let me walk in that freedom, rejoicing in the unity we have in Christ while honoring the differences You have designed. I trust You to work in me and through me as You build Your church, the dwelling place of Your Spirit. Amen.
Image Intent: A vibrant forest with diverse trees of different colors and shapes, all growing together in harmony under the same sky.