Together

1/26/2010

Acts 2.44 44And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ESV

John the Apostle said, "If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." The new community in Acts 2 was about love and togetherness. That is the original intent of God for His creation – togetherness. God intended for men to be together with Him and with each other – you might call it Oneness.

In Acts 2 it says they we all together in one place; not only in proximity but in heart, intention and focus. The minimum threshold was they believed together in Jesus.

But God desires we cross over the threshold of believing in each other as well…warts and all. Together means together; it means together in this life and forever together in the next where warts and all will be seen for what they really are and what they were really intended for – to reveal the glory of God within each of us who are so broken and so in need of redemption. So that’s why John (echoing Jesus) says that in order to be the real deal, we must love one another (who we can see) in serving God (Who we can’t see). That’s the essence of oneness and togetherness. Simply said, I love you too much in Christ to make a big deal about your faults; instead of asking "Oh, why?" I’ll just simply say, "Oh well…".

Loving others is the act of looking beyond whatever may be obvious to what may not be so obvious: Jesus Christ within. And Jesus is worth loving and so are you.

Father in Heaven,
You originally intended for us to be like You are in the Trinity: each one loving and caring for each other in mutual love and respect. You are big enough to set that wheel in motion and see it through, and the resources You provide are there to see it through. I pray that I may see and accept what You’ve given me that I may see and accept those among whom You’ve placed me. May we be one as You are One – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.