July 9, 2024

Annie Ward
“May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 15:5-6

I love harmony. Musical harmony is when two or more different musical lines are played or sung at the same time and yet sound beautiful together. Harmony in our community happens when we are individually acting the way God created us, when we are full of the Holy Spirit and operating in our spiritual gifts. This is when we sound the most beautiful, because we have “joined together with one voice”. We complement one another, just as harmonies in a song complement one another.

But Paul acknowledges that we need tools to live in harmony– patience and encouragement. With these two things we can put the needs of others ahead of our own. Christ put others before Himself and sought to serve rather than be served. Adopting this mindset helps us to view others with compassion and grace.

When we come together with one mind and one voice, our worship and our witness become powerful. This unity in Christ shows the world the transformative power of the Gospel.