Doing Life Together

I don't normally share devotions here that are written by other people, but yesterday's was so fitting for Valentine's Day, and today's I thought was SO good. Yesterday and today's devo's were taken from a daily devotional booklet called, "Our Journey". Today's devotion was written by James MacDonald. If you'd like to receive this devotional booklet at your house, go to www.ourjourneywitw.com Here's today's devo called "Doing Life Together"...

We have a commitment within our church family to "do life together." It's now a ninteen-year experiment which asks, is there a group of people who will love one another no matter what and keep on going together for God? That's the vision God has given to us...to love, forbear with, and forgive each other, growing together in Christ year after year. As you would expect, it takes a lot of sweat and tears.

Ephesians 4:1-3 hits the bull's-eye of how this commitment works. "Walk...with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (emphasis added). Eager to maintain means I am willing to work hard at unity...no matter what it costs me. This kind of sacrifice isn't about money or time; it drills down to your core. The strength behind this pledge is in the sacrifice of yourself.

My opinions. My entitlements. My injured feelings...these are what you give up for the sake of unity. This is how far you will go to do life with your brother and sister in Christ. Always trying to work it out. Because you like the person? Not always. You do it because you want to honor God.

This concept of sacrificing yourself for the good of your brother was so foreign to the Greek and Roman culture at the time Ephesians 4 was written that Paul had to coin a new word to describe it. He called this attitude humility....the choice to carry a weight rather than inflict a wrong. You may say, "But their opinion is wrong!" Perhaps. But if it's not a doctrinal issue or in conflict with what the Bible clearly teaches, swallow your argument and agree to disagree. What clearer evidence could there be that God is at work in you?

When someone disappoints you again after years of patience and love, you may say in frustration, Do I still have to put up with this? And the answer is, Yes, you do. God is watching how we treat each other, and He honors every time we roll up our sleeves to do the hard thing.

We need to work hard at unity. Why? Because our eyes are on Christ and we want the One who humbled Himself and became obedient unto death to get the greater glory.

Ephesians 4:1-7 "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Ask God to give you wisdom to know when your opinion would be helpful to the circumstance and when to keep silent for the good of unity. Surrender to the Lord the feelings of pride that rise up when you demand to be heard. The Lord hears you.