21 Nov December 12th Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE  CHURCH AT PHILIPPI

  BELONGING TO CHRIST BE UNITED WITH ONE ANOTHER

Philippians 2:1-2 “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.” (New Living Translation)

One of Satan’s strategies is to “stir the pot.”  What I mean by that is he tries to find the weakest link within a group of Christians where he can cause them to forget they belong to Christ.  He is well aware of what St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ . . . we have all been baptized into one body.” Satan’s goal is to temp one member of Christ’s body to believe they are more important or know better than all the rest of the members of the congregation.

In today’s devotional verse God’s word encourages you and your fellow believers to agree with one another, love one another and work together.  This is found upon the fact that all of you belong to Christ? You all share equally in His love.  You are united by the power of the Holy Spirit.

You, mutually with your fellow believers, make up one body whose head is Jesus Christ.  St. Paul in verses 14 – 27 of 1 Corinthians 12 discusses how the body has many parts that form one body.  He says that these many parts must function in harmony in order for the body to be healthy and function properly.  He concludes with these words, “This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”

While the Devil promotes disharmony and chaos God is a god of order (1 Corinthians 14:40) and peace.  While Satan scatters seeds of discord and lack of harmony God provides His love to bind all hearts “into agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.” (Philippians 2:2)  It is your Lord and Savior Jesus who says to you, “. . . Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35)

Prayer:  Lord, send Your Spirit into my heart every day to sow in it the seeds of Your love by which I am able to love others.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Love in Christ is strong and living, Binding faithful hearts in one;

Love in Christ is true and giving, May His will in us be done.

Love is patient and forbearing, Clothed in Christ’s humility,

Gentle, selfless, kind, and caring, Reaching out in charity.

Love in Christ abides forever, Fainting not when ills attend;

Love, forgiving and forgiven, Shall endure until life’s end.

(LSB 706)