…on UNITY

by Barbara Duncan, Licensed Pastor
St. John's

How we all long for unity:  to be as one, to act as one, to love as one…in our marriages, our relationships, both family and social, our churches, between our governments.  TRUE unity is the coming together as one in Jesus Christ.  There will be no unity without the spirit living among us.  There will be no unity without the love of Christ so very alive among us.  It is only through the Spirit of Jesus Christ that we are able to achieve our bond of peace and unity.

In Ephesians 4: 3, Paul tells us, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”  We seem to be kept from reaching this goal by asking two questions, “What about me?” and “What’s in it for me?”  Humbly dying to self and living for others is the only path to the unity we crave.  I am working on remembering that the compassion of Christ can fill us to the point where others’ concerns and sufferings become far greater than our own.  The acceptance of Christ can cause us to cherish and praise the traits in others that are in contrast to our own, thus leading us from judgements to love and peace.  “Be completely humble and gentle;  Be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (2)  The forgiveness of Christ will lead us to a unity with one another through the depth of His love.  If we are to live in this unity with all those near us, we will need the power of the risen Christ to strengthen and guide us to forgive.  When we are tired, impatient, hurt , we can be rude and insensitive.  At those moments, we need to come to one another and ask for forgiveness and as The Lord’s Prayer reminds us, forgive those who ask it of us.  The father of the Prodigal Son went the next step to pour out his love on that wayward son, sacrificing himself for his son.  And, the greatest humbling love of all, expressed by our Lord and Savior on the cross, “Forgive them Father, they know not what they do.”

So…“What about me?  “What’s in it for me?”  NOTHING!  It’s just not about US at all.  It’s about sacrificing our human self-centeredness and insecurity for unselfish love for others.  It’s working every day to be like Jesus, to fill our hearts with HIS strength, to accept others unconditionally, to be a blessing, so that the world will “Know we are Christians by our love.”  A task I struggle with each day.   A task we can only begin to achieve by supporting each other in love and prayer and by totally trusting in our God’s promise, “Lo, I shall never leave you…”

Until we pass into glorious Eternal Life with Him, where the brothers of the Weston Priory sing:

               “There will be a banquet /  Where our joy will flow like wine…

                 There will be a homecoming/ A Homecoming of peace.”

God Bless all you wonderful folks!!

Barbara Duncan