Unity of Believers

 Eph 4:3

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Unity. The state of being united or joined as a whole. I have no illusions that it is possible to be united in every facet of life. We were not created to be robots, programmed to all think alike. God created us with unique personalities and with a will to think for ourselves and make decisions that we believe to be right. Having unity among believers is made possible when there is a common goal to live our lives to please the Lord, but it may not come without effort. Because we are uniquely made by God, we will no doubt not view every situation and problem in the same way. We may be unified in our goal, but not unified in how it is achieved. Maintaining unity is always a work in progress. It is an endeavor that requires intentionality. Unity does not just happen because we all love Jesus. Chances are, there will be many times that we will not see things eye to eye. What is important is to maintain the spirit of Christ in our hearts.  We may not all think alike, but our hearts can be united to keep our spirits in the likeness of Christ. Love and peace can still abide when Christ dwells among us. The Spirit of Christ that lives within each believer compels us to live with an attitude to preferring one another, not allowing strife and contention to arise. There will be times when things are said and done that can lead to division, but Paul says to work hard, make every effort to keep peace and be kind in our spirits. Keeping the unity of the Spirit is essential if we are going to see the Kingdom of God accomplished. 

In Old Age, He Will Carry Me

 Isaiah 46:4,9
And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you…Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me
One look in the mirror and I know that my time on this earth is growing shorter. If the Lord permits me to live as long as my mother, I am over two-thirds of the way there. It is not uncommon for us to think that we still have plenty of life left, especially if we have maintained our health and are not suffering many ailments.  But the gray hairs that sprinkle my head are not my imagination, old age is at my doorstep. I look back on my life and see how God has carried me through. He carried me through a broken home, through my teens, as I sought to find happiness and a pure conscience. He carried me through my college years as I sought to know God’s will for my life. In the turmoil of church divisions, He carried me through, still trusting Him to keep me true to His word. Through the conflict of work dynamics and interpersonal relationships, He was there to bear me up and let me know He would not leave me alone. As I have entered my retirement years, I realize that I need Him more today than ever. My years of experience living this Christian life is not enough. I must lean hard on Him even more as I enter into this new journey of life. I can see the sun starting to set, and it will be here before I know it. But I remember the past, and He has never failed. He will carry me through until the end. There is none like Him.