Update #90

"If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples." John 13:35

When you read the word “unity” what pops into your mind? A bunch of flower adorned hippies, arms around each other singing songs of love? A group of radicals petitioning about some cause or another with signs and fists raised? A posed family photograph?

Today unity is a very rare thing. It is found in groups that unite around a cause (Save the Whales) or an initiative (Proposition 8) – but only for a short time – as soon as the campaign or event is over the group dissolves and the unity disappears. A few crusaders may remain but their unity isn’t usually far reaching.

Harmony is something God desires for us. Unity is something Jesus cultivated. If this is true, and it is so precious, why don’t we see it more? I’ll tell you why, unity threatens the opposition.

When Christians unify we are dangerous. When Christians unify and start working together the enemy knows he is in trouble. Or adversary will do anything to prevent this.

How do Satan and his minions keep us from harmony and one accord? Through playing to our pride. Through nursing unforgiveness. Through salting bitterness, strife, malice, and envy in our lives. Through creation of dissatisfaction, discontent, and dissention. Through jealousy, anger and ambition…get the idea?

One of the key tools in fighting fractured unity is forgiveness…it heals, it sooths, it unites. It causes resolution, restitution, and reconciliation.

Forgiveness is not always easy. Forgiveness may mean confrontation and truth speaking. Forgiveness might cause vulnerability and a chance that wounds be opened that you would rather have left alone. Forgiveness means letting go; letting go and letting God handle the situation; letting God handle the consequences in his way, his time, with his grace.

The ultimate battle weapon in the fight for unity is love. Forgiveness, in essence, means loving another more than yourself, your rights, your due; in order to restore a relationship, a situation, a wrong. Forgiveness is trusting God to make the best of a situation and, in spite of what has been done to you, loving the other person. Love is putting aside pain and past grievances, issues and differences, agendas and pride, gender and race in order to unify and advance the kingdom of God. This type of unity is powerfilled!

Where does the enemy have a foothold in your life? Where do you need to shine the love and power of forgiveness? Who do you need to forgive? What situation is God asking you to speak into and restore righteousness?

And lastly, how much has God forgiven you?

Updates:
Living – My Redmond, Washington condo will probably go on the market next week…
Work – Training begins on Wednesday! We are still seeking volunteers to fill several small roles (Can you cut cantaloupe? Slice bread? Help with scorecard coaching?)
Health – My ankle is better – even with the rain and blustery early-Spring weather.
Social – I am really enjoying hosting people in my new little home! Megan was my second houseguest and I made a Valentines Day breakfast for her and the Johnsons…note, don’t put sour cream into waffle mix weird things happen!
Finances – If you would like to sow into what I am doing see the footer info at http://www.denaandrews.blogstpot.com/ or contribute at http://www.repurposing.biz/ for more information.

Requests:
Work – That I would be able to discern the most important tasks and be ok with letting the rest of my “list” wait until later.
Intimacy with God – That I would carve out more time to be able to listen to what God is saying.
Relationships – God has my husband out there somewhere – please pray for him and his walk with God to be deepened, strengthened and made more robust!

PS Check out this AWESOME website: http://www.iamsecond.com/ – gritty, real, and well done!