An Article of Faith

The Angers Bridge was completed in 1839 and had been used successfully for 11 years to cross the Maine River in Angers, France. No one, especially the engineers, would have believed that it would become the site of a terrible tragedy. It happened on April 16, 1850.
In the midst of a violent thunderstorm, 486 French soldiers were walking in cadence across the bridge. The combination of the swaying of the bridge in the storm and the powerful resonance created by the lock-step of the soldiers’ march caused the suspension cables to snap, plunging 226 men to their death. (To this day, military ranks around the world break cadence when crossing a bridge so as not to repeat this disaster.)
From the beginning of time, God has illustrated the unlimited potential people have when moving together in unity: “At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there.
“They began saying to each other, ‘Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.’ (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) Then they said, ‘Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.’
“But the LORD came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. ‘Look!’ He said. ‘The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.’
“In that way, the LORD scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the LORD confused the people with different languages. In this way He scattered them all over the world.” (Genesis 11:1-9 NLT.)
When men are united, either for good or evil, there is inherent power in unity. It can be negative power, as illustrated in the Tower of Babel, or it can be positive power when God’s people are united with Him and His purpose of redemption in the world.
When God’s people are one with Him, they will automatically move toward unity with one another. It’s important to note that this isn’t just “unity for unity’s sake.” It’s also not simply uniting around some man-made agenda – even if it sounds spiritual. It’s the organic unity that occurs when believers are united with Christ. In this unity, divine power is unleashed for God’s glory and kingdom. (Taken and adapted from: OneCry: A Nationwide Call for Spiritual Awakening. Visit www.onecry.com.)
“Also, I tell you” Jesus assures, “that if two of you on earth agree about something and pray for it, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. This is true because if two or three people come together in My name, I am there with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20 NCV.)
“If My people,” declares the LORD, “who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV.)

Jessie J. Charpentier Sr. is pastor of Jenkins Memorial Baptist Church in St. Martinville.