One in Heart and Mind – 2020.01.06
The community of believers was one in heart and mind.
Acts 4:32
Yes, such a community we long for! When we are all one, one in heart and mind, everyone thinks of the other, and wishes him good from the bottom of his heart … oh, then we feel good! If we need help, someone will be there, when we are lonely, someone is there when we have problems, someone listens when we are happy, all rejoice with … that’s like paradise!
Jesus wants such a warm fellowship in our communities. But He knows our problem: our big, fat “I” disturbs and destroys this warm fellowship.
The enemy tries to trick us on all imaginable ways. Satan leads us to believe in all sorts of things that we absolutely need; – “You’ve got to spoil yourself sometimes”. He shows us the mistakes of others with a magnifying glass, as if we ourselves were angels. He shows us our problems so that we deal with it.
He makes us sensitive, and we feel ignored, hurt, lonely, treated unfairly. Yes, the enemy feeds our big ego, so that we are only busy with ourselves, and the community is no longer warmly, but bitter accusations arouse, there are power struggles, one pushes itself into the foreground, rumors are set into the world, the marriage is not sacred anymore, so it’s more like hell than like heaven. The enemy is pleased and rubs his hands, and Jesus stands there, sad and sorrowful.
Jesus wants to uproot this problem of the big fat ego with the root. Therefore He says: I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their lives will lose them, and those who hate their lives in this world will keep them forever. Come to me, and bring me your burdens, and I will bear it. Take my load on you, because it is easy! I have come that you might have life in abundance!
Jesus himself begins to build communities that are truly His churches. He prepares people for living in this community. They will be one in heart and mind and be a magnet for the many lost souls. But it only works when we crucify our big, fat, “I” and finally put Jesus on the throne of our hearts. He should rule, not my big, sensitive ego!
Yes, Jesus, Thou shalt be my king! I want to live for You as You live for me. Show me where my thick, lazy, sensitive I destroys the community and help me that life can be born through me! You have so many blessings in store for me. I do no longer need to care for myself. Yes, You are my Good Shepherd!