Coming Together in Unity

First Sunday in October was World Communion Sunday, and Bec and I attended one in person and two others via streaming. It was a truly remarkable day for worship. Monday, I attended another one, this time in the Healthcare Center commons where Robin, the Chaplain for that area in ministry, was. I decided to attend because it was an opportunity to worship and also to see Robin, a most gracious woman, lead worship and proclaim the Gospel. I was not disappointed.

She began with an illustration that she had picked up while in Africa. There is a word that I was unable to “capture” in Congolese, but conveyed this meaning: “I Am Because We Are.” As I understood it, it implies that our existence, our participation in reality, is contingent upon our membership in a larger group, not because we stand alone, but because we stand together. She then drew a stark contrast between our world situation and that concept, highlighting wars, greed, selfishness, and independence as defining characteristics of our contemporary culture. She made it abundantly clear that we are not currently part of the “I Am Because We Are” world. She is correct. However, I am compelled to wonder if we will ever attain that state.

Over the past decade, this nation has been deeply divided. We are not united. When I reflect on the past two presidencies, approximately 50% of the population felt this sense of division during the tenure of the previous president, and 50% of the population continues to experience it today with another. What is particularly intriguing is that both sides employ the same terminology to describe the division engendered by the opposing faction. I have heard the same language used to criticize both the former and present presidents of the United States. Who is “right”?

Can we ever achieve true unity? In Kentucky, our motto is “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.” Our country is referred to as the “United” States of America. Can this be achieved? Will it be realized?  

In the Monday worship in the healthcare commons, I observed individuals entering the building, some in wheelchairs being assisted by those in our independent living area who transported them to the worship service. The sight was such a blessing to me. Bec and I sat in the back row and noticed an elderly woman in a wheelchair who was unable to lift her arms to receive the bread and wine. She opened her mouth without making a sound, and a kind individual noticed her and then approached her and placed the bread, dipped in wine, in her mouth. This incident reminded me of my Christian beliefs, which emphasize the importance of unity regardless of our differences when we worship God in Christ as we live in God’s created order. He transcends these distinctions, the focus being on His truth and not our opinions.

I witnessed a tall black man escorting a woman back to her room.  The care provided by the young for the elderly and witnessing those who have been blessed with good health, using their blessing to bless others was so inspiring. They recognized others have not been so blessed thus, giving of themselves to help others that could not help themselves. It was so moving.   And, then, to see family with kids and youth worship with the family member who was in palliative care was an added blessing to us.  After we received communion, I carried the napkin containing the bread and wine back to our home and still possess it as I write. The stain of ‘blood’ serves as a poignant reminder that the only path to unity is through the blood of Jesus. All who seek Him will be focused on what truly matters, not on political or policy matters, but on sacrificial, generous, and well-intentioned love.

Unity raises numerous questions, but when our foundation is established in the Truth of God, our Creator, through Christ and the Holy Spirit, we have a guiding light for coming together and doing so without the vitriol, hostility, and acrimony that are prevalent in our contemporary society.

Years ago, during a visit to Israel, I was fortunate to be with a group of Christians at the Church of the Ascension. As we were exploring the premises, we began to hear the voices of a group of Germans singing “When Roll Is Called Up Yonder.” Then, in other areas of the church, other groups joined in, singing the hymn in their own languages: Spanish, Italian, and surprisingly, even in Chinese. The melody remained the same, yet it was expressed in distinct languages. As we Americans joined in, we sang with great joy, harmonizing with the others. Yes, there were differences in nationalities, languages, even appearances, but we transcended that for God and His glory. This exemplifies the essence of unity that God brings together, which we can never achieve on our own.  

What a joy for us, where, in spite of our differences, we found ourselves as one, receiving the blessing of God’s unity for us.  

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See references below:

Scriptures indicating the church becoming one include Jesus' high priestly prayer for unity in John 17:11, the description of the early believers as "one" in Acts 2:44–47, and the teaching in Galatians 3:28 that all believers are "one in Christ Jesus". Ephesians 4:4-6 emphasizes the seven "ones" that unite believers: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God. Paul also explains in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 that the church is a single body with many parts, all functioning together as one.

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Grace and Peace,

Quentin

Sharecropper’s Inheritance

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