Approaching Christmas

This week as we approach Christmas we are going to consider God's call to live in community within the Church. How do we realistically achieve unity in the Body of Christ? Some people are difficult to warm up to, and frankly sometimes we are difficult to warm up to. Yet we are called to pursue unity,"with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to kept the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Ephesians 4:2-6
I believe one reason God calls us to unity is because is it so contrary to the world. Left to our own devices we express independent, self-serving attitudes and agendas. How do I know that? Because that is what the world does without Christ. Christ is about unity. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28. Satan is about division. "For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" 1 Corinthians 3:3.
God wants us to stand apart from the rest of the world making His name famous by doing so. God spoke to His people through Moses, "The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you,if you keep the commandments of the Lord Your God and walk in His ways. Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord..." Deuteronomy 28:9-10.
We love and serve the One True God, may it be known through our unity.

Diane