In His Name Devotionals
WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND
In His Name Devotionals
WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND
In 1805, speaking to a group of religious leaders, Red Jacket (Sagoyewatha), Chief of the Seneca Nation, said:
…Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why do not all agree, as you can all read the book?
Like the 20th Century, the 21st has sadly begun with a divided religious world. But there is hope, because God's Holy Word and Beloved Son are the common denominators upon which most, if not all, God-fearing people everywhere can unite. Jesus Christ Himself prayed for unity: "I ... pray ... that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me ... that they may be one just as We are One" (John 17:20-22 NKJV).
Division produces confusion, thus, Chief Red Jacket asked: “You say that you are right and we are lost. How do we know this to be true?” When our Lord and Savior fervently prayed in the garden, He obviously foresaw Red Jacket’s dilemma and the influence it would have on the Gospel message. So is it any wonder the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write: “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you…” (1 Corinthians 1:10).
NIV footnotes on “…that they may be one even as We are” (John 17:11): “The unity is to be like that between the Father and the Son. It is much more than unity of organization, but the church’s present divisions are the result of the failures of Christians.”
Unity is God’s desire—division is Satan’s. No wonder Chief Red Jacket stated: “Brother, we do not understand these things.” Do you?
