Love is the glue for everything: especially in God’s church. Jesus said:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
He also prayed:
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” ( John 15:20-23)
God says that he knows we love each other, but he really wants us to work on being friends. We can feel deep love but now we must build lasting community and friendship. Why?
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity” so “that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought” because when “ two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Psalm 133:1; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Matthew 18:20) We want the world to see Jesus we have to be united so he can be present in our midst.
