Vol. 17 No. 44 | November 3, 2014
“Make my joy complete.” Those are Paul’s words in Philippians 2:2. He follows it with an explanation on how to make it happen. “By being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” His desire was unity.
Jesus prayed for the same thing shortly before He went to the cross,
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23, NIV)
Complete joy comes from being united in love, spirit and purpose.
You see it when a team wins a championship. We saw last week when the San Francisco Giants won their third World Series in the last five years. The pitching staff did their job. The fielders did their job. The batters did their job. The coaching staff did their job. The fans did their job. By working together, by being like-minded, by being united in spirit they win championships, and they experience complete joy.
You see it during a wedding reception. The bride and the groom were united in their decision to be married. The very language in the ceremony describes the oneness and union of hearts and spirits of the couple. The cooperation of both sets of parents, brothers and sisters, members of the wedding party, caterers, and all involved make the event a celebration of complete joy.
You see it when a life is transformed from the self-love to self-surrender. Everyone who has ever had a part in teaching, encouraging, nurturing, and praying for the new created one are rejoicing with complete joy because all involved have been like-minded, having the same love, and one in spirit and mind.
Paul was writing to a church when he suggested that they make his joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. His desire, his dream, his hope was that the Philippian church would make his joy complete by experiencing and displaying true unity.
What could we accomplish if we, God’s people, were like-minded, if we had the same love and were one in spirit and mind? How many lives could be transformed? How many marriages could be saved? How many children could grow up in homes filled with love? How many churches would be reaching more people and impacting their communities? How often could we bring and experience complete joy if we would “be like-minded, have the same love, become one in spirit and of one mind.”
Paul had confidence that unity in the Body was possible. Let’s try. Let there be unity and harmony in our lifetime. Let us experience complete joy.
Tom
© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.