I am flying out of the country in two weeks to spend two months traveling in Europe and the UK. I am meeting several other people who will be part of a team as we travel to different places, both for pleasure and for ministry assignments. I have done mission work most of my adult life but this trip will be different than any I have been a part of before. We have an itinerary with some flexibility because we don’t know every detail of where the Lord is taking us! Most missions I have been on have a destination, a specific purpose and times pretty well designated for the whole duration.

We have been researching the different countries we are planning to visit. Finding out about the history of a country or even locations within the country will give us some insight but we are going with added insight after looking at typical things like natural resources, culture (things to celebrate) as well as issues and hardships both current and past. We are also looking at each country from a redemptive perspective. What was God’s original intent for that country? What has happened in their history to keep that from manifesting or manifesting fully as of yet? What are some scriptures we can stand on to see God’s plans and purposes for that country to be fulfilled?

We will be going to historical sites that have affected that nation and perhaps a larger portion of the world. For instance, when we travel through the UK, we will be in all four countries within the UK – which stands for the United Kingdom. Historically and currently they are anything but united. But if that was a part of God’s original intent, then our part (the praying church) is a responsibility to come into agreement (with each other and the Lord) for that country.

I heard a new (to me) term recently – the “synergy of unity.” Synergy is “the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.” It is an alliance for unity.

Remember when God came down to the inhabitants of the land who were building a tower to reach the heavens – the Tower of Babel? (Genesis 11:1-9) At that time the whole earth had one language and those descendants of Noah after the flood decided they needed to build a city and a tower, to “make a name for themselves” (not for God). They wanted that tower to extend so high that “the top is in the heavens.” Verse six has so much insight – “And the Lord said, ‘Indeed the people are one and they are all one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they purpose to do will be withheld from them.’” Verse seven states that the Lord said (here is an example of the Godhead conversing) “Let US go down and confuse their language” They were then scattered abroad because they could no longer communicate with one another. They no longer walked in unity. They ceased building that city and dispersed across “all the face of the earth.”

My understanding is that the Lord desires us to be one – to be in unity. Jesus Himself prayed that we would be. John 17 is His last recorded prayer before He was crucified and went through the ordeal of Gethsemane and Golgotha. He prayed for His disciples but He also prayed for us! Verses 20-23 in TPT “And I ask not only for these disciples, but also for all those who will one day believe in me through their message. I pray for them all to be joined together as one even as you and I, Father, are joined together as one. I pray for them to become one with us so that the world will recognize that you sent me. For the very glory you have given to me, I have given to them so that they will be joined together as one and experience the same unity that we enjoy. You live fully in me and now I live fully in them that they will experience perfect unity and the world will be convinced that you have sent me, for they will see that you love each one of them with the same passionate love that you have for me.”

What do you think that might look like if Christian marriages were in synergistic unity? What would it look like for a church to be walking in the answer to Jesus’ prayer for unity? What if a portion of the body of Christ were able to be unified around our Lord Jesus instead of doctrine or causes or agendas promoted by the leadership? Do you even think that is possible?

I know I am probably stretching some of my readers with these questions. We have been conditioned for disappointment and therefore operate more out of doubt and unbelief than we do trusting in the goodness and faithfulness of our God who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we could ask or think. We also have never seen the fullness of what I am describing with the exception of the few “model marriages” and if we knew the details of those marriages, there is probably still room for growth!

I have heard one of the teachers I listen to talk about the “synergy of the ages” and that makes total sense to me from my understanding of the last part of Hebrews 11 – the chapter that has been called The Hall of Faith chapter. The writer of Hebrews lists many of the Biblical heroes of the faith and what they accomplished but near the end of the chapter (and I have referred to this before) it talks about those who did not live to see the fulfillment of their petitions and promises, Verse 13 states that “these heroes all died still clinging to their faith, not even receiving all that had been promised them. But they saw beyond the horizon the fulfillment of their promises and gladly embraced it from afar, They all lived their lives on earth as those who belonged to another realm.” Verse 39 “These were the true heroes, commended for their faith, yet they lived in hope without receiving the fullness of what was promised them. But now God has invited us to live in something better than what they had – faith’s fullness! This is so that they could be brought to finished perfection (synergistic unity – my understanding) alongside us.” Wow!

This should encourage each one of us who are contending for the promises that the Lord has given to us individually and help us to realize we may not see or understand the fullness of God’s plans. Just as He kept the cross and the resurrection a secret (from Satan and his minions) until redemption was accomplished (1 Corinthians 2:8) “None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” so He has not revealed the wisdom or timing of some of the things He has promised each one of us.

Will we trust Him even when we don’t understand when we don’t see the outcome we were expecting? I sure want to!