Proper Unity

Recently, in a small group study, while devouring the book of Genesis (verse by verse) we came to the conclusion and I have pondered this for days:  “Yes, unity is good. Great. And encouraged. But.”  But we must make sure what we are attaching ourselves to, investing time and energy (AND our soul) – HAS to be focused properly. Genesis 11, “All the people…” (v1) the story of the Tower of Babel. Their unity took them further away from God, further from His commands.  

They weren’t that far away from the Noah saga (just a page or two) – a few generations step from “The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become … The LORD was grieved…So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth…” And the LORD did. (Summary: Gen 6:5-7; 7:4,11-12 NIV).  God offered mankind a fresh start.  Not only that, the starter kit was wrapped in His ever-loving covenant!  (See Genesis 9).

As the new settlers (post flood) proceeded, you’d think there would have been even a slight hesitation to run off and grab your tool belt and head to the build site. “Wait… What?”  What are we doing?  But didn’t God say…”  Nope.  Brick builders, tower builders – as a whole, they built.  (Continue reading Genesis 11, see how well THAT turned out).  There is much to be heeded: “Come, let us … build up.” Causing God, “Come, let us go down.” (Gen 9:4,7).

How often do we too, join the cause, and perhaps fail to read the fine print?  We fail to truly find out the goal, the intent and by golly, “Did God say?”

King David wrote: “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. COMMIT your way to the Lord; trust in Him…” (Psalm 37:4-5a, emphasis mine).  “Commit” is a highly active word picture. In Hebrew, it means to roll upon or against into a heap. This rolling is an act of trust. WHERE are we attaching our trust? The world is FULL of “Join us. Trust yourself to us. Trust our cause – act now!”

Let us keep in mind, WHATever, WHOever we commit ourselves to, we become rolled up as one.  I echo the King’s exhortation; I surrender to the plea – may we roll up to and in – God! Rolling our life, our will, our behavior and I will offer – our tool belt.  Ask questions, read the fine print before running and committing.  AND may we consider our “Like” as well.

Proper unity.

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love & good deeds.” – Hebrews 10:24)