Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s explore immersing ourselves in like-mindedness.

Today’s scripture, 1 Peter 3:8 (NIV) exhorts…
[8] Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

Consider…
James Robinson wrote…
Supernatural spiritual unity is not sameness. It is love lifting us above our differences along with necessary diversity in order to pursue common goals.

This statement aligns with 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV)…
[4] There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. [5] There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. [6] There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Notice the verses emphasize there are different kinds of execution but the same Spirit, Lord and God.

We are different but for the same purpose.

This truth is reinforced by Ephesians 4:3-6 (NIV), which exhorts…
[3] Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; [5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism; [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

We’re called to operate in unity because we are parts of one.

As I wrote that, the Holy Spirit took me back to the Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV), which says…
[26] Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” [27] So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

In all of the proceeding acts of creation, God spoke in a singular voice. Yet, when He created mankind in His image, He invoked His ‘Triuneness’ (my word). I believe that’s because we were created in unity to operate in unity for the single purpose of carrying out God’s will.

Look at the wording God gave Moses…
“Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they”

The same God (Father, Son and Spirit) who operate as one to fulfill His will, created us, male and female, in His image.

Galatians 3:26-28 (NIV) declares…
[26] So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, [27] for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. [28] There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

From the beginning of our existence, God always intended us to operate as one like Him and for Him.

This reminds me of two musical terms: Unison and Harmony.

• Unison is two or more musical parts that sound either the same pitch or pitches separated by intervals of one or more octaves, usually at the same time.
• Harmony is the sound of two or more notes heard simultaneously.

Both of these involve different voices or instruments that work together to share a unified sound sharing the same message.

Like Psalms 150:6 (NIV) says…
[6] Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.

You may ask, what does all of this have to do with like-minded immersion? Well, according to Cambridge dictionary, to be like-minded means to share the same opinions, ideas, or interests.

You see we have to share God’s opinions, ideas and interests in order to carry out His will.

That’s what the Apostle Paul is telling us in Philippians 2:3-8 (NIV), when he writes…
[3] Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. [5] In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; [7] rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Like Christ, we must be focused on the interest of others above our own.

It just dawned on me, that Jesus was thinking of us while He was on His round trip from Heaven, through Mary’s womb and Earth’s tomb. Indeed while He endured Calvary’s Cross, Christ was thinking that we no longer had to live lost.

Writing that invoked Hebrews 12:2-4 (NLT) in my thoughts. It encourages us…
[2] We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. [3] Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. [4] After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

Christ endured death so that we could be assured life.

I believe that’s what the Holy Spirit’s trying to impress upon us today, give up our obsession to be right and focus on improving another’s plight.

1 John 3:16 (NLT) explains it this way…
[16] We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

So today, rather than being self-absorbed, let’s focus on being like-minded with and for the Lord.

That means living in accordance with Ephesians 4:32 (NIV), which exhorts…
[32] Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

God wants us to be kind, compassionate and forgiving like Him!

The Holy Spirit is telling me the only way we can do this is by allowing Romans 12:2-5 (NLT) to manifest in us…
[2] Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. [3] Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. [4] Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, [5] so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

Notice, God transforms our thinking to realize that we are all part of Christ’s body, AND we belong to each other.

Let’s disperse with all of the singularity that divides us, and align with the Divine with a like-mind.

Today’s song is…
Woke Up This Morning

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)