12-Sep-14

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. Psalm 133:1-3Community of those who love the Lord is a beautiful thing.  Deitrich Bonhoeffer wrote that not often are we able to be in communion with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  A blessing without measure.  Imagine being in solitary confinement, imagine being confined with others who do not know Christ.  J. Russell Morse, a missionary, told of saving a tiny bit of bread and water from his ration, to celebrate the Lord’s Supper while in prison.  He was alone for weeks on end.  He was in prison for some time, without the promise of release.  There was no fellowship with others.  Discouragement must have been rampant, but yet he trusted God.When Christians forget to love each other, how it must grieve our Lord.  When the ‘I’ gets bigger than the ‘you’, then forgiveness flies to the wind, and love walks out the door.  Love and forgiveness — walk hand in hand and make life one of expectation, peace and joy.  ‘Doing life’ together is learning how to live with Jesus, in Jesus and proving whose we are.So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:34-35