Private Fellowship Turns Public.

Amos 3:3

“Do two walk together,

unless they have agreed to meet.”

This is the first question in a series of rhetorical questions. Most if not all having an obvious no as the answer. The last question is the latter half of verse six “Does disaster come to a city, unless the LORD has done it?” This text is speaking to the punishment of Israel, but it does stir the mind to think of unity. The version I have is ESV and I have never heard it said quite like this before. The first thing I draw from this verse is communication, they have agreed to meet. In order to have unity you must have good communication. I think of our team commitment, in order to have unity we had to talk things out. Can I say that was probably the most difficult team building for me? I knew the one thing we were all passionate about is God and His word. And I know that when people feel strongly about something, they have a natural tendency to divide. I see this across the church today. How many different denominations there are, and how fiercely one group can fight against another over God's word. When God's word is meant to bring us into submission to each other under God. I thank God that nothing nasty was said during the creation of our team commitment. I thank God the leadership had the wisdom to put us through such an exercise. I am thankful for the very reason that the thing I feared, division, would likely have happened had we not been asked to create a team commitment. As we have agreed to meet in one mind, one love, one Spirit, and one Purpose, we are able to walk forward together in humility.

As important as it is to take this in our relationships with each other, it is exceedingly more important in our relationship with God. And that's what this verse is really speaking to me more than anything. Unless we have unity with God we cannot have unity with each other. I have to bring my own mind under the mind of Christ. I need to abide in His love. I must submit my soul to His Spirit. Only then will I see clearly His purposes. Only then may I walk in humble obedience to Him and my siblings in Christ.

Just as in our friendships communication is key, so it is the same in our relationship with God.

There are three main forms of communication I have been learning to grow in, prayer, reading the word, and worship. Each one of these has been powerful to me, particularly when listening. This is an area I really struggle in. Things that have been helping are writing out my prayers, and changing up where I pray, or worship, also taking time to practice these things alone. Yet I still struggle, when it comes down to it, even helpful tools like writing out prayers and changing scenery will only help if my heart is in the right position before God. I can so easily ask God a question and not be patient enough to wait for a response. In a sense I can just as much use those tools to ignore God rather than listen to Him. This brings me a to a place of confession, and repentance. And I become more mindful of those times of reading praying and worshiping.

As I carve out that time to listen to God and submit to Him, and have fellowship with Him, there comes an overflow into my other relationships. And those things done in solitary, flow into being done publicly. This builds unity as well.

Application.

By having alone time with God and submitting to Him, grow in unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ.

How?

Tonight I will share my testimony with my room mates, and if they are willing have a time of public prayer and worship with them.