I had the sweet blessing today of spending a few hours of fellowship with the 3 other pastor's wives in our church. We have never been in a church before with this much "staff" so this is such a neat, new blessing of serving alongside a plurality of pastor's wives. Our husbands have each been called to different ministries within the body of Christ and, as their helpers, we have the privilege of supporting them in their roles. As pastors wives, each of our ministries within the church look different but are helping to build up the body of Christ! Though our roles are different and we are all in different seasons and stages of life...there is a sweet love for each other and a precious pursuit of unity! I am so very thankful for the gift of these ladies...in my own life and in our church.
One of the passages we looked at today was Romans 15:5-6:
"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Harmony means "agreement or accord, as of feeling or opinion. It also means a pleasing combination of parts or elements; or combination and progression of chords in musical structure." Isn't that a beautiful picture of what the family of God should look like in the local church?! That we would be in agreement...that we would make up a pleasing combination of parts like the sound of voices singing in beautiful harmony.
One of my favorite parts in a musical arrangement is when the choir or group of people singing break into acappella. There are distinctly different parts but they all blend together into one beautiful voice of music.
So it is with the church family...there are many different parts but one body (I Cor. 12)...many different "voices" that blend together to make one beautiful, harmonious voice lifted to exalt and magnify the name of Jesus!
But that harmonious voice doesn't just happen! It requires a lot of hard work and Holy Spirit fruit-living! We looked at Colossians 3, too. Boy, is it full of wonderful wisdom...we are to put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience...bearing with one another and forgiving each other. We're to be marked by love, peace, and thankfulness. And we are to be filled with God's Word so that it comes out in our interactions with each other. Verse 17 sums it up, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
May we all, wherever the Lord has placed us, "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praise." Psalm 98:4
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