We Are Called to Stand Together

Last week, on Trinity Sunday, we lifted up the Holy Three – in -One.   The Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that will never be divided.  Always committed as one in their purpose, plans and divine will.

Paul encourages us to live in harmony with one another.  Lutheran Bishop Christopher deForest preached two weeks ago that we are to be bound together in one chord, making a musical reference.    Harmony not dissonance is the goal.  When a country is divided against itself, a family divided, a business divided, a marriage divided, a church divided, weakness threatens their wellbeing.  When there is no agreement, no shared purpose, no communication, no fellowship, no joint purpose, no companionship, no direction, what happens” Failure, dissolution, the end.

Destruction comes when we as persons or institutions or nations are NOT congruent.  That is not working together in harmony. This starts with us as individuals.  This is a daily effort for most of us to become ONE within ourselves. When we cannot have agreement between our body, soul and spirit/heart, we are divided against ourselves, and CANNOT STAND!  We must become unified in purpose or we will surely fail.  Not only in our individual endeavors but in the broader actions we seek to undertake in our communities and beyond.

We must get over ourselves!  We do this by surrendering our own will.  We need to lose this battle, we must give ourselves up to the will of God. The thing is even if we do our best, it doesn’t seem to be enough.  Life does not go smoothly.  Stuff happens.  Doubt erodes us.  Depression suppresses us.  Illness wreaks havoc upon us.  Look at Paul, who ended up in prison.  Recall the disciples, many of whom were martyred.  We all fall short of the Glory of God.  This is where the Holy Spirit comes in.  This is where other church members can help.

Paul reminds us in Romans 8:31,  “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” Jesus will always have our back.  Let’s unite and align ourselves with Christ.  Let us strive to be undivided - united in body, soul and spirit, with the One God, the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are called to love God and our neighbor.  Let us stand together and get this done.  Amen.