A Passion for Unity!

WORD FOR TODAY by Bob Gass - Tuesday 28th August 2001 "WITH LONGSUFFERING, FOREBEARING ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE;ENDEAVOURING TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT." EPHESIANS 4:2-3 If unity was a wall, each of us would be a brick, no two of us would occupy the same slot and all of us would be held together by the mortar of 'longsuffering.' The word longsuffering means 'to remain calm, to stay together in every circumstance and to have a focus that transcends our present discomfort.' Think about that! Without a passion for unity, we'll never have it, for there's a cost attached. It involves: (a) yielding to one another and preferring one another (Rom 12:10); (b) persevering, regardless of the difficulties (Gal 6:9); (c) protecting our unity, because ultimately it's the source of our blessing (Eph 4:13). Listen: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments...for there the Lord commanded the blessing" (Ps 133:1-3). Did you hear that? Unity must start at the head and flow down, undiluted by personal agendas, contentious spirits or fleshly desires. It must be the same at the bottom as it is at the top - pure and undefiled. When that happens, God will command His blessing to be upon all that we do! (c) Bob Gass Ministries 2001 (used by permission)