“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1

Yesterday was the Annual Meeting for The Congregational Church… which is ALWAYS interesting. Due to the so-called pandemic, we didn’t have one last year, which means THIS year’s meeting was going to run a little longer than usual. I hate meetings. And yesterday’s, though excellent in form, reminded me WHY I dislike them.

The 2020 decade started off with an emphasis on UNITY. Across America, the cry for unity may have come with loud demand. But honestly, I can’t think of a more divisive word! Unity is one of those words that is easy to define, but most difficult to live out. Being a Church of firmly committed Believers who love Jesus Christ, it is not difficult to see why.

EVERY human is born in sin. And even though our Church members have been saved, we all still carry around our fleshly nature, which joins us at every gathering. So there we were, every one of us a ‘Child of Most High God’ and future rulers with Christ, but communing together in earthen jars of flesh! And while the meeting WAS EXCELLENT, many of us would rather have been fishin.’ Or something else.

Everybody has an opinion. In ANY meeting, there are people who have more knowledge about a subject than others. Some because of being on a subcommittee, some because of outside related experiences, and some because of personal preference. When the subject of Building Insurance came up, I asked The Congregation weigh in on what THEY thought, to finally settle the internal board discussions. Little did I realize my request would add another 20 minutes to the gathering!

The System Works… because Jesus Works! He was there too! This morning, I remembered the meeting and this Bible verse… and smiled. Psalm 133 is 1 of 15 Psalms called ‘The Songs of Ascents.’ Each year Jewish religious observers were to ‘go up to Jerusalem’ to CELEBRATE one of 3 Festivals. Each of the steps along the journey, including the final 15 stairs up into the temple, we’re harder than the one before… but more Joyful. That is what getting closer to God does to hearts!

Being unified in and WITH the Spirit of God takes work, time and effort ABOVE and beyond our comfort zones. BUT when we DO it, even GOD says there is nothing more pleasant! Oh how I LOVE our Church!

Does each step YOU take in life draw YOU closer to God and His people?