Friday, February 18, 2011

February 19, 2011

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not think you are superior."  Romans 12:16

I was thinking about the power of harmony. We know the beauty of it from a musical standpoint - a great orchestra or choir can bring tears to your eyes.

But I am thinking of two stories from the Bible that show the tremendous impact of people who are living in harmony.

The first comes from the old Testament in Genesis 11. It is the story of the Tower of Babel.

"Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As men moved eastward,they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth. But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel — because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth." Genesis 11:1-9

Wow! Did you get that? God was afraid that if these people were to stay united - (in harmony) -they would be unstoppable in their evil plans to install their proud kingdom on the earth. In God's own words, "nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them". Their kingdom would anti-god.

So God sent division among them by breaking their harmony through confusing their languages.When their harmony was disrupted they quickly lost their power and strength. Their plan failed.

The second story comes from the New Testament Book of Acts and is the story of the Church of Jerusalem and the Day of Pentecost.

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."  Acts 2:1-4

The harmony that was achieved among the 120 disciples of Jesus brought the tremendous power of the Holy Spirit into their midst and changed them forever. Through their unity there were 3,000 others who witnessed the power of God among them and repented of their sins and turned to Christ!

When you are reminded of the tremendous signs and wonders that accompanied the coming of the Holy Spirit, you clearly see that power of harmony. When you see the love and caring that happened as a result of this miraculous event, you can't deny the importance of developing harmony among a body of believers.

The two dramatic stories we have considered in this post show clearly the power of harmony.

Also, consider that if you and I understand the powerful potential of spiritual harmony, the Devil has to know it, too. And he is going to do his best to sow confusion and discord whenever and however he can. And all too often - he does! His most effective tool is pride.

So now you understand how important harmony is and that pride is the enemy of harmony, you should see the value of humility.

What are you willing to do to bring harmony to your marriage? To your family? To your church? Is there an area of pride you should deal with? Are you a grace-giver? Are you able to enter into the emotional celebrations and sobs of others?

In these dark and evil days, God is looking for believers who will give themselves humbly to Him and others to live in spiritual unity and harmony.

Will you be one?