Today’s reading is Genesis 10-13.

Daily Devotional – “The Power of One” – GENESIS 11:6

God’s acknowledgment of the power of human unity in this verse specifically, and in the whole Bible story, generally, is amazing to me. The purpose of God for mankind, however, was being replaced by mankind’s purpose for himself. Yet, in the negative sense revealed in the story of the Tower of Babel, God teaches us there is great power in achieving oneness in pursuit of His purpose for us in Christ. Remember Jesus’ prayer for us, “That they may all be one” (John 17:21a).

Following the dispersal of the peoples, God displays His power through one man – Abram. From that day He called Abram until now, God’s single-minded purpose to redeem fallen man has flowed from His great promise through the pages of Scripture. The Hebrew people were the family of the one man Abraham (Abram). Although they broke covenant with God and forever forfeited the land promise, God kept this family intact and in place so that the one special son of Abraham, Jesus, might bless the world. What an awesome God we adore and serve!

The Bible story does not end with Jesus the man; it comes full circle and begins anew with Jesus the Christ (Galatians 3:27-29). In restoring those who answer the gospel call to fellowship with the divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4), we are commanded to unleash upon this world the power of oneness in pursuit of God’s purpose (not against it, like at Babel). As Paul wrote, “...for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to do work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing...” (Philippians 2:13-14).

Pursuit of personal gain or private agenda apart from God’s will leads to grumbling and disputing and gets us off track. If through factions, division, contentions and striving against brethren we mange to build great towers of human accomplishment, may God forever be swift to thrown them to the ground! Individually, our revolution within must daily be to cast aside personal animosities and personal desires and we fall headlong before the throne of mercy seeking His will and purpose, not our own. Congregationally, our revolution within must drive us together into one body with a common love, a common goal, a common vision and a common destiny. Are we afraid God doesn’t work ... or, are we afraid that He DOES?