We live in a world divided. With the plethora of news headlines that inundate us every day, it probably seems more divided than it's ever been. Does this division seem unprecedented to you? Does this cause you anxiety, stress, and worry? Is there an answer to give you peace? Well, I wouldn't be writing this devo unless the answer was a resounding YES!

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Our God is a God of unity. Division was not His intention. However, sin entered the world, and sin divided us from God (Isa. 59:2). This division forced us out of the Garden (Gen. 3:23) and has run rampant through history ever since.

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There's even division in the Church. Throughout history, wars have been fought and unspeakable brutality committed, all because of division within the Church. We tend to think of the Church as a building or a denomination. But that's a worldly view.

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Thankfully, God's view is much different. To God, the Church is all people who have proclaimed their faith in Jesus, unified as a body, serving Christ, who has authority over all:

“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Eph. 1:22-23)

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The Greek word for “church” as used in the Bible is ekklesia, which means “called-out ones.”  What must you do to be called-out? Accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you have, then you are part of a group of Spirit-filled believers who have been joined together by God to form the body of Christ:

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Cor. 12:13).

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And this truth is the reason I answered a resounding YES earlier in this devo.

If you read the news and become anxious, stressed, or worried because of a divided world, country, state, city, street, or home, God is the answer for you. Declare His Son as your Savior. Open the Bible and read it. Pray. Tell Him everything you are anxious about. Then focus on trusting Him. Under God's concept of the body of Christ, you will live in unity with one another:

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).

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That day is coming. Count on it:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death” or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’”” (Rev. 21:3-4).

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So be at peace. Trust in His plan to right the world. Revelation 5:9-10 promises that, like other “persons from every tribe and language and people and nation,” Jesus has purchased you for His Father. Together we will be made into a unified Kingdom, priests to serve our God on this Earth.

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Come, Lord Jesus. Your will be done. Forgive me when I forget that. Thank you for your perfect plan which gives me hope. Amen.