Unity

Jim:

Ezekiel 37:21b-28
1 John 2:18-29
The words that really caught my attention in the Ezekiel passage were those in the last part of verse 22: “Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.” This brings to my mind the words of Psalm 133, “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” Unity is something to be desired, to be worked for, to be prayed for, to be cherished, but not at any price. The congregation to which the First Letter of John is written has obviously experienced division, but in this case the ones who have left the community represent deception and lies, a faith which the readers of First John cannot accept as true. For this reason there can be no unity. But assuming that we all strive for the common good, that we seek justice and righteousness, what stands in the way of unity in our neighborhoods, our country, our world? It’s a question that perplexes us. Too often we see peoples united in evil, bound together in hatred or war. Too seldom do we see peoples united in love and compassion. Or if we see a shared, common purpose, as in the world’s response to tragedy, it seems to last only so long, and soon we are back to a state of disunity. Ezekiel promises that the people of Israel will someday be reunited into one nation. We should pray that such unity and harmony would come to us as well, that we might find common cause in our own nation, our own day and age. But clearly, if we do find such unity it will be a gift from God and something to be prized.

Encourage One Another

Jim:

Leviticus 16:1-19, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
I think 1 Thessalonians 4:18 offers a very nice summation to all three of these passages, as difficult as they may seem. “Therefore,” writes Paul, “encourage one another with these words.” Whether it is the way that Aaron was to offer sacrifices to God, the manner by which the resurrection is to take place, or the attitude one is to take in one’s prayer life, all of these passages should be understood as encouraging God’s people in their faithful living. If one reads these passages and comes away feeling overwhelmed or discouraged, he or she has missed the point. Yes, Aaron had to go through a number of steps as outlined in Leviticus 16, most of which arise from the sins of the people. But the point is that God welcomes Aaron into the divine presence, and remains committed to the relationship with the people of Israel. Yes, there are believers who have died before the return of Jesus. But this does not nullify the truth of the resurrection or of the coming kingdom which will be a glorious experience. Yes, there are those who make prayer a spectacle and who are considered respected members of the community. But God is not fooled by false piety and is attentive to the prayer of the humble. Be encouraged, Paul might say in each case, and know that God continues to be at work. Do what is right, do what God calls you to do, and let God take care of the rest, for God is truly working out the divine purpose.