Unity in God

When God created humankind to live on His beloved planet, He insisted that His creation hear and obey. It is God who supplies our material as well as our spiritual gifts. No wonder the Lord informed Adam that he and his wife listen to the Almighty in strict obedience as we should know.

Some reply that we humans should afford gifts to the creator of all things. But God does not need our earthly riches because He, and He alone created the world. Is it any wonder, then, that the giver of all life needs no material from us except our loyalty, which we must give freely without hesitation.

So long as the first humans were willing to hear and obey, God provided spiritual guidance enabling humans to enjoy a peaceful existence in the Lord's love and power. But as the Book of Genesis delineates Adam and Eve began listening to and obeying Satan, God's eternal enemy. As a result, humans began questioning and doubting God's loving authority. Small wonder that our loving ruler separated Himself from His creation.

Yet because God is a kind ruler who loves His human creation He did not abandon us.
To the contrary, despite our recalcitrance, the Lord taught - and is still teaching us, righteousness to unify us in His all embracing love. First, God sent us His prophets to enlighten us outwardly and then He gave us His beloved Son who enlightens us inwardly. But before Jesus visited us in our hearts, He taught us love, non-violence, righteousness, mercy as well as forgiveness. This Jesus even informed His followers that after His death that He would continue to relate to us inwardly. God has anointed this wonderful Son as our everlasting teacher whom we are required to obey.

And His apostles did adhere to His command to wait in an upper room in silence for Him to appear. Our loving Lord did appear instructing them to live gospel love despite the activities of the secular authorities who executed Him. Jesus expected His followers to teach the World to wait on His Spirit, as we must do, to receive God's Truth.

Jesus, during Pentecost, therefore taught many listeners, in their own languages, God's benevolent revelations. His followers began preaching in the name of Jesus to those willing to be taught the love and power of God.

Nonetheless, Satan Himself is still our enemy no matter how he manifests himself. But God, in His kindness, has sent his son to overcome the Adversary. That is why when we wait on the Lord, we do hear ministry that enables us to reject the Adversary and become virtuous. But we need to wait on Jesus for long periods to understand and follow the Lord. We can be better listeners if before we indulge in Meeting for Worship, we pray for God's guidance individually, because we indulge in prayer prior to the gathered worship. Then, unlike Adam and Eve, we will be able to hear God and recognize His and our needs.

Let us remember that the Lord is our only spiritual teacher who reveals within us. This Jesus instructs us to become peaceful in God's everlasting mercy. We have much to learn from our Lord. Let us listen patiently in true unity.

Arthur Berk
04-23-2011