“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” Psalm 133:1

When I moved from Bellaire to Traverse City, I asked the Lord to connect me with some incredible friends. The only person that I would know in Traverse City was my sister and her family. I asked the Lord to send me friends that I could be very close with. He answered that prayer with five cream of the crop ladies. When I started the ministry of Operation Christmas Child in my pole barn these friends were all in. We opened it up to anyone else who wanted to join us. One by one the Lord called and sent more ladies to partner with us in what He is doing. We are filling 5,000 shoe boxes a year. These ladies are all dedicated and committed.

Besides packing the shoe boxes every Friday, we have lunch together as well. There is something about sharing a meal together that has created a special bond between us. That bond is unity. 

“They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” Acts 2:46 

The description or interpretation for this scripture is that these Jerusalem Christians were all of one mind, they were experiencing a wonderful unity. “Singleness of heart!” Their hearts, as it were, melted into one another. That is what I feel we have in this group of ladies. When you have this kind of unity, this draws the Holy Spirit near. The Spirit loves to dwell in the midst of unity. This in turn brings the blessings and miracles that we experience all the time.

My most favorite prayer in the Bible is when Jesus speaks to his Father in John chapter 17.

“Holy Father, keep them in Thy Name, the Name which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as We are.” John 17:11 

I just went to see the movie, The Boys In The Boat. It is about the Washington crew winning gold in the 1936 Olympics. It was during the Great Depression so most of the nine man crew were very poor. They did what no one thought they could do. 

They had to qualify in seven races before they would head to the Olympics. Each one of those races took a miracle to win. They are now in Germany closing in on the finish line of the Olympic race. 

They are neck and neck with two other teams. To spur on the exhausted crew, the coxswain (the man who does not row but is responsible for steering the boat and coordinating the power and rhythm of the rowers through a megaphone attached to his mouth) began yelling to the eight man crew, “As one! As one! As one! As one!” He continued this call all the way across the finish line. In this type of competition it is critical to be in sync, as one, as they are rowing to achieve the highest speed. 

As the coxswain was yelling out, “As one” the ladies that I work with came to mind and it brought tears to my eyes. I realized we operate as one and I believe we are one with Him. It is incredibly powerful and awesome to be part of such unity. 

Father may we all be one as You are one with your Son!

 “That they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.” John 17:21-23