382. Wednesday after Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.
That brethren dwell together
in unity is as the dew of Hermon,
and as the dew that descended
upon the mountains of Zion.
Philippians 2, 1-4. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
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If, says Paul to his dear Philippians, there be among you these good things, consolation in Christ, comfort of love, the fellowship of the Spirit, bowels and mercies; then do ye increase therein more and more! The world must live in strife; for the spirit of pride and self-love rends asunder and scatters. But ye, who are Christ’s, ye have received the Spirit of love and lowliness; and wherever this prevails, it knits the hearts together in the same mind and in the same judgment; walk in this Spirit, and ye fulfill my joy.
The times become steadily more perilous, as the end approaches (2 Tim. 3, 1); but there always shall remain a brotherhood among whom love is law. If we have in some measure learned by experience how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity (Psalm 133), let us fulfill the joy of the apostle. What do I say? of the apostle? Yes; but still more the joy of our Lord and Savior! Let us walk in lowliness of mind, that each esteem other better than themselves; and in love, that we look not every man on his own things. For the sake of your lowly Savior, esteem others better than yourself! Examine yourself; learn to know the pride of your heart, and mortify it with the mind of Jesus! Live not unto yourself, but unto Christ; look on the good of others; please your brethren for their good; that is to say, study to practice charity always, and increase therein! This is the sure bond of union between God’s people, which prevents us from dividing into sects and parties. There is but one Father and one family of children, one Lord and one kingdom of light, one head and one body, one house and one household; shall we not, then, endeavor to stand together, shudder at the thought of dismemberment, and abhor all manner of factions? Is it not God’s own command that we shall present ourselves as one body? (Eph. 4; 1 Cor. 1, 10). Has not Christ redeemed us with his blood, in order that we may be one in him? (Eph. 2, 16; John 17, 21). Every founder of a sect acts in direct opposition to the heart of God and the cross of Jesus; dismembers, as far as in him lies, the body of Christ, and scatters the people whom Christ gathered about him at the Supper the same night in which he was betrayed. When Satan succeeds in causing dissensions among us; so that the Christian people, who in every place should present themselves as the one body of Christ, are divided into parties which will not be united; then the Spirit of God is grieved, and the church presents a sad picture of that God whose unity in love his children should make manifest to all the world. (John 17, 23). Is it, then, to be wondered at that the apostle says: Fulfil ye my joy by living with one another in the undisturbed fellowship of love?
Lord Jesus, give us thy lowly and loving mind, and keep us united with the bond of perfectness. We earnestly beseech thee, prevent the devil from henceforth causing dissensions among thy people; and unite all that can be united in the truth. Have mercy on us; have mercy, Lord Jesus. Amen.*
One, the strain that lips of thousands
Lift as from the heart of one;
One the conflict, one the peril,
One, the march in God begun:
One, the gladness of rejoicing
On the far eternal shore,
Where the one almighty Father
Reigns in love forevermore.
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.