How do we deal with divisions?

I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Philippians 4:2

Uniting Lord,

We confess, the apostle Paul 

could have called out any one of us here:

“I plead with [insert your name here] 

and [insert someone of a different mind here] 

to be of the same mind in the Lord.”

In the past few years, 

many believers who formerly worked 

side by side in the cause of the gospel, 

many whose names are in the book of life (Philippians 4:3), 

have been separated by any number of hot button issues. 

And while to each of us they may seem to be issues 

of love and kindness and generosity and unselfishness—

all issues that matter to you, 

our habits of name-calling 

and stubborn refusal to listen 

are not your ways. 

You are the Savior to whom Paul pointed 

when he urged us, 

“in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3-4). 

You are the Savior who made yourself nothing, 

taking the form of a servant, 

who obediently submitted to the humiliation of death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8). 

When we consider that you are “near,” 

both in the sense of “united” to us 

and in the sense that you’re returning soon, 

we will indeed “let [our] gentleness be known to all” (Philippians 4:5). 

In your sacrificial name. Amen.

Read Philippians 4; Ephesians 2:11-22.

Hi Friends,

Over the next few days, we’ll be praying through Philippians 4, a passage for our time. I hope you will join me in these prayers and spend some time meditating on Paul’s invitation to turn toward one another, to rejoice in the Lord, to replace anxiety with prayer, to dwell on things that are lovely and commendable, to know the peace of Christ which surpasses all understanding.