One Body, Many Rooms
The Daily Devotional
Monday, June 23, 2025
One Body, Many Rooms
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. (Ephesians_4:4–6)
Introduction
Across the centuries, Christians have divided into denominations, fellowships, and movements, each convinced they’ve found the truest expression of the faith. Yet in this passage from Ephesians, Paul gently but firmly reminds the early church—and us—that we are already united in the essentials. One faith. One Lord. One baptism. One Father of all. Our divisions may be real, but they are not ultimate.
Reflection
Think of a potluck in a small-town neighborhood—one where everyone brings their favorite dish to share. You might have tamales wrapped in corn husks, a casserole from the local diner owner, someone’s grandmother’s potato salad, and homemade sweet tea on every table. Each offering is unique, flavored by heritage and tradition, yet the meal only works when everyone gathers to share.
Now imagine arriving with your dish and refusing to eat anyone else's food because it wasn’t made your way. You might still sit at the table, but you'd miss the joy of fellowship—and so would those around you.
That’s how many of us, often unknowingly, treat fellow Christians. Because their worship sounds different, their sacraments look unfamiliar, or their traditions stretch back to ancient practices we don’t understand, we quietly declare: They’re not really one of us. But Paul tells us differently. There is one Spirit—who breathes through incense and electric guitars alike. There is one baptism—whether received at a font of stone or in a river beneath open sky. There is one Father—who rejoices over His children in stained glass cathedrals and storefront chapels alike.
Our modern culture often teaches us to divide, to sort ourselves into tribes and echo chambers, even in matters of faith. But unity in Christ isn’t a soft sentiment—it’s a spiritual truth we are called to live into. It doesn’t require erasing our differences but learning to love across them. Just as a quilt is stitched from many fabrics into a single covering, so the Spirit weaves the Church from many lives into one body.
When we dismiss or demonize fellow Christians because they don’t belong to our denomination or understand Scripture the same way, we risk walking away from Christ’s table. Worse yet, we harm the witness of the gospel. Jesus didn’t pray that His followers would be uniform—He prayed that we would be one (John 17:21), so that the world would believe.
Application
Today, challenge yourself to extend love toward someone outside your tradition. Reach out to a Catholic friend, an Orthodox co-worker, or a believer from a Pentecostal, Baptist, or non-denominational church. Listen to their story. Ask about their faith. And instead of silently comparing traditions, silently bless them:
“One Lord, one faith, one baptism.”
Let that phrase soften your heart and shape your words. Let it become a habit of grace.
Conclusion
The holy catholic (universal) Church is not a brand name—it is the Body of Christ, scattered across geography and centuries, yet made one through the Spirit of God. Every time we choose unity over pride, humility over judgment, and fellowship over fear, we echo heaven’s own anthem: “One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”
Prayer
God of unity and mercy, forgive us when we mistake our preferences for truth and our tribe for Your Church. Thank You for the beautiful diversity of Your Body—a mosaic of voices, cultures, and expressions, all proclaiming Jesus as Lord. Teach us to celebrate our shared faith with grace and humility. Give us eyes to see You in one another and courage to love beyond the boundaries we’ve built. In the name of the One who makes us one—Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Devotional by: Kenny Sallee, ThM — Deming, NM, USA
The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV)© 1989, 1993, the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
