For the Love of Us All

WITNESS

3-30-13

ONE---just thinking

Jesus asked us

To be as one

HOW did we get it so wrong

“My prayer is not for them alone

I pray also for those

Who will believe in me

Through their message

That ALL of them

May be one, Father,

Just as you are in me

And I am in you

May they also be in us

So that the world may believe

That you have sent me

I have given them the glory

That you gave me

That they may be one

As we are one”                                                         John 17:20-22

Today there are 33,820 Christian  denominations                 ( the World  Christian       

Not to mention                                                                          Encyclopedia year 2,000 )

The Jewish religion, the Muslims,

The Buddhists and many 0thers      

“That they may be one”

ONE---I wonder

What Jesus would say today

We have the Catholic Religion 

Which I have been apart of

Since almost my first day

On this earth---and still proudly so

We have the Protestant Religion

We have Willow Creek

We have the Baptists

All of which I have been a part of

And proud o be a part of

I have Jewish family

I have Jewish friends

Can’t say that I have any Muslim friends

That I am personally aware of

But I don’t think

Any religion

Is inherently good or bad

It is always the radical element   

Of any group

That gets us into trouble

“That they may be one”

I am certainly NO Theologian

But I have a general understanding

Of how the church

Has broken apart over the years

“I in them and you in me

May they be brought to complete unity

To let the world

Know that you sent me

And have loved them

Even as you have loved me”                                              John 17:23

“That they may be one

As we are one”

When I talk to people      

I always ask them about God

And their church

I have met

So many beautiful people

People from ALL countries

From ALL nationalities

From ALL societies

ALL socio-economic make ups

And religions

Where is the bridge

Linking us ALL together

I dear say

It is our humanity

The desire to be accepted and valued

As a human being---for who we are

Being told that we matter

That we are somebody in this world

Could it really be that simple?

“That they may be one”

We have Moses and the Ten Commandments

We have Jesus’ teaching on love,

The 2 Greatest Commandments, forgiveness

And the SERMON on the MOUNT

We have the teachings of Confucius, Buddha,

Of Mohammed, Gandhi,

And many other great men and women

In and of this world

And finally

We have the Golden Rule

“So in everything, do to others

What you would have them do to you

For this sums up

The Law and the Prophets”                                                       Matthew 7:12

“THAT THEY MAY ALL BE ONE”

We can do it---it is up to us

I urge to be a bridge

And a connector

In today’s world

Robert P. Wallman

6-21-11

Ps         WITNESS       3-30-13

“Hear-oh Israel-the Lord our GOD is ONE LORD”                                 

Deuteronomy 6:4

“There is neither Jew nor Greek-there is neither bond

Nor free-there is neither male nor female-for you are

ALL ONE in Christ Jesus”                                                       

Galatians 3:28