Diabolus

We live in dangerous times – times of war and conflict, times of untold suffering, times of hate and confusion, and perhaps above all – times of division.

Once we looked on, perhaps impassionately, at the strife, discord and violence caused by divisions of ethnicity and religion in nations far from our shores, content in the knowledge that such things could never happen here. But we were wrong. Witness the division in our nation over the pro and anti independence issue – or the leavers and remainders in the Brexit debate. Consider the division in the USA over the recent election. The possibility of violence and civil unrest in both the USA and, I believe, in our own nation is very real. A few years ago such a statement would have been considered ludicrous – but not any more.

And where does all this division have its source? I may be considered naive, because I will be told the issues are numerous – and they are – but at their root every one is diabolic. Diabolus works tirelessly to divide – between peoples, nations, churches and families. The very word Diabolus means in Ecclesiastical Greek – “The one who divides”.

I do not wish to address these issues in particular, I am not qualified – but I do want to make a plea to my Christian brothers and sisters. Please do not be distracted by the affairs of division. The King we serve came to –

“Turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.”

Malachi 4:6 & Luke 1:16

He longs for unity in the family and unity among his true people – we know that was and is his prayer –

“Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.”

John 17:11

If that is so  – is it unreasonable to believe he also longs for unity in our community and nation?

We may feel we have little control or influence over the great divisions that plague our world, our nation and our community. But we can, by example, reflect something of the unity in to which we have been invited by the true God who, although being Three, is One.