Living Stones Christian Church

     "How good and pleasant is it when brothers and sisters 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 upon the collar of his robes.  It is as if the dew of Herman were falling on Mount Zion.  For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore."  Psalm 133.

      This is the scriopture for the day in the morning devotional I read.  Again, God amazes me with his timing and direction in our lives! For the last three days we have talked about communion with one another.  Here is yet another example from scripture urging us to live in unity.  The oil of Aaron and the dew of Heron are lost to us.  But the images would have been loaded with meaning to the Isrealites who first heard them.  They would have presented a picture of God's greatest blessings falling upon a united fellowship.

     Oil was poured on Aaron's head for his annoiting as the father of Isreal's priests.  Verse 2 describes a thorough covering; he was thoroughly sanctified and powerfully prepared fot his priestly work.  He was set apart to God for a specific, holy purpose.  He was ordained to communicate God to humanity and humanity to God in the prescribed acts of worship.  The precious oil on his head, flowing down his beard and onto his robes, was a sign that God was with His people.

     That's what unity does for a fellowship.  It turns a common gathering into a priestly community, able to communicate God to humanity and humanity to God.  It points to His character for those who don't know Him, and it confirms His presence among us for those who do.  Unity is the greatest evidence that God is living, active, and right there where the fellowship is.  It is precious.  

      Unity also makes the fellowship fruitful.  It takes the dew--the blessing of God--from one place and pours it on a needy land.  It turns a common people into a holy conduit for mercy, where God's character flows and powerfully changeslives.  It makes dry land green.

     That's how good and pleasant our unity is to God.  It isn't a casual matter to Him; it's critical.  God desires our unity because our unity shows the world who He is and how He works.  If we don't have it, they won't know Him.

     Strive for unity.  It's good and pleasant gift, a precious, powerful sign that God is among us.

     These are not my words.  I merely reposted my devotional for the day because it fit with the theme.  I believe it fits with our mission statement as a church also.  Ordinary people bringing ordinary people to an extraordinary God.  If we are unified and focusing on God as one, we can be a green oasis in a barren, brown desert.  Spend the day praying for one another and encouraging one another to focus on God.

     "If we focus on our differences, our focus is on each other.  If we focus on unity, our focus is on God."  anoymous