A Unity Challenge
A Unity Challenge
Live Love Together is our theme at Northwest for the year 2022. We are eager to reconnect as members of our congregation! Covid has kept us apart too long. Joel’s and George’s lessons in January on living love together have been so encouraging. Psalm 133, one of the Psalms of Ascent comes to mind. Here it is from the NIV:
“How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.”
The image of the anointing of Aaron as the priest of God as an eternal blessing from God is interesting. Another anointing, that of David, gives us insight into the impact of God’s anointing for service.
1 Samuel 16:13 from the NIV says:
“… Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David.”
Oil is so often a metaphor for the Holy Spirit in scripture. Psalm 133 reminds us that God anoints his priest with oil and with the Holy Spirit. And that is true of those who believe in Christ and become his followers today. From 1 Peter 2:9 we know:
“… you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
Joel taught us about unity from Ephesians 4. Our unity is in Christ and in his Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 4: 4-6 NIV
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
I loved Joel’s call to unity among believers. In the context of loving your enemies Jesus taught that we are not to judge.
Luke 6:36-37 NIV
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
This year let’s pray for unity here at Northwest and in the context of the community of believers around the world. If we have a disagreement with a fellow believer in Christ Jesus, let us call them our brother or sister in error, and not think of them and surely not speak of them as being the enemy of Christ. Christ knows his own and is their judge. We are fellow believers who all make mistakes and are dependent on God’s grace and mercy. Let’s be a unifying influence in the brotherhood of Christ in answer to Jesus’ prayer for unity in John 17.
To all of you here at Northwest let me say that I miss being with you and am looking forward to a healthy physical and spiritual climate where we can see each other frequently and do life together. God bless His people with unity this year.
Tom Peeples
