This morning I listened to a podcast on unity, which is a oneness of purpose. While the Lord made us all unique, He made us for one purpose — to bring Him glory.

He made us in His image. He saved us into a family — the family of God. And then I heard a statement that I knew was especially for me: God will limit His relationship with us individually if we have limited our relationship to His community.

“For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.” (1 Cor 12:12-14)

We’ve been talking about fighting the good fight, finishing the race and keeping the faith. In what I heard today, I realized that the good fight is being in unity with other believers to further God’s kingdom and bring Him glory. It’s not about us, it’s about Him and His purpose.

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:1-2)

So how do we lay aside “every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us” so that we can “run with endurance the race that is set before” and fix our eyes on Jesus? It is in being a member of the local body of Christ: “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Heb 10:24-25)

The Lord doesn’t want us going our own way, in our individuality. He didn’t make us the same, but He does intend for us to come together as one body in unity to serve His purpose and to bring Him glory.