Friday of Easter Week 7 – Devotion

Text: John 17:20–26

We live in a time of deep division—political, cultural, even within families and churches. Unity feels like a pipe dream. But Jesus, on the night before His death, prayed for His followers—and what He asked for most was unity.

In John 17, Jesus prays not just for the disciples around Him, but “for those who will believe in Me through their word”—that includes us. He asks that we may be one, as He and the Father are one. This unity isn’t merely institutional or social; it’s spiritual, rooted in the love of the Trinity. And it’s not just for our benefit—it’s so “that the world may believe” the gospel.

This is astonishing. Jesus entrusts the credibility of the gospel message, in part, to our unity. That means the way we treat one another in the Church either confirms or contradicts what we say about Jesus.

What does unity look like in your life? Are there people you need to forgive, conversations you need to have, divisions you need to heal? Unity doesn’t mean uniformity—but it does mean love, humility, and shared purpose in Christ. The good news is that Jesus doesn’t just command unity—He creates it through His Spirit. We are one because we are in Him.

Transform Our Hearts Through Prayer
Lord Jesus, You prayed that we would be one. Thank You that You unite us by Your death and resurrection. Forgive us for the ways we divide, exclude, or resent one another. Holy Spirit, heal what is broken in Your Church. Make us a people of love and truth, so that the world may believe. Amen.