Unity and Jealousy

by Tessa
August 2005

I tend to appreciate the global stretch of the Lord's hand at work, so when I consider this title, I automatically see a bigger picture behind the words, rather than an individual or local influence. I see unity and jealousy as strongly opposed feelings and spirits, but also as supernatural forces that have been active since Time began. These forces have and will continue to play an important part in the fulfillment of Earth's history.

Unity is "the state of being one."
God is supernatural Unity - in its purest expression. The Bible reveals flawless harmony between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Three dwelling together without division or blemish: Perfect Love. It is God's unified Love that enables His people to walk at any level of spiritual unity with Himself and with each other. When individual Christians or whole churches hunger for and attain God's grace for this bonded, devotional, and servant love, His great beauty may flow effortlessly among us.

And what is jealousy? It is defined as "demanding exclusive love; resentful or bitter in rivalry."
God certainly requires undivided love from us as the jealous Lover of our souls, but it is Satan who embodies the divisive element of jealousy. Originally a shimmering star, endowed with talent and position, this angel grew to desire himself equal with God. He fell as lightening from the heavens. And there it is; harmony ruptured, sin was born. Conflict became his trademark.

To consider one aspect of physical, spiritual, and supernatural unity and jealousy as they influence the human chronicle, let's look breifly at both the Western world and the Middle East - a complicated and explosive comparison! Yet, going back far enough, we find the seed of division. Islam was conceived amidst jealousy. First, Abram's Sarai was consumed with jealousy for Hagar as the maidservant vaunted her favored fertility before the barren mistress. Next, the table turned as Isaac was openly preferred above Ishmael (Gen. 17:17-20). Isaac was the originally promised-child and it was he who received God's blessing as heir of the nations, even though he was the second-born.

Centuries later, Christianity was born from Issac's line and wherever it was welcomed and took root, that part of the world inherited and often blossomed into the knowledge of God's free grace. A broad sweep of the West has therefore enjoyed a history of material, educational, and spiritual riches; at times torn in strife for sure - not pure by any means - but nonetheless, united as it has pursued various, sometimes dubious understandings of justice and equality for mankind. Many are rich; many are poorer, but today we have the United States, the United Kingdom, and now, an almost united Europe. Our minds misunderstand our Blessing in no small measure, nonetheless its spiritual seed began our civilization and we still live within its unconditional Promise as we pursue a basic desire for peaceful living.

On the other hand, Hagar and Ishmael, "a wild donkey of a man", were exiled to the east - through no fault of their own, mind you. Ishmael was to father a vast nation too, though it would be burdened with hostility. The Middle East contained generous bounty, riches of the earth eventually producing material wealth and great artistic expression within another faith. Yet, the True Blessing of release and favor for spirit and soul comes only through immersion into the presence of Jesus Christ. Supernatural Love and Forgiveness were therefore, and still remain, foreign to the fundamental Islamic creed.

Was the angel's appearance to Mohammed perhaps an offer to bring Ishmael's beloved line back into the Blessing of the God of Israel? His love certainly extends to all Mankind. What we can say is that the angel's appearance certainly inched history forward one more step within human choice: Within a darker code of conduct and a tendency toward hostility, a god was chosen by a people, and harsher government has therefore had its reign; 'wilder' emotions rage against ancient-formed injustice, and pockets of radical groups - ever aware of the physical inequality under which the majority of their population must live - belie a domineering master who controls creativity and rants spiritual condemnation against any infidel liberty.

We all does abuse freedom, of course, wherever we live, especially when we do not lend an ear to Wisdom, from East to West. Jesus' answer was to pray for His Church in John 17, that she might "be one as we are one." True unity, shared from the Throne Room of Heaven with the souls of men. He welcomes ALL men into her favor. His earth-spanning unity is so powerful when it occurs that the Bible states all men will know that we are His disciples by the love that we share for each other. And we will know it, too.

But attaining this unity requires complete surrender to the Holy Spirit. We must choose each new day to dwell with the Godhead - through prayer, study, and action; we must sit where He sits. This is the blessed inheritance of the New Covenant for all men, women and children throughout the world since Jesus rose from the dead - to be favored heirs of Holy Relationship, one that bestows revelation of God's Divine Presence, transforming us beyond the physical, on into the joy of the Spiritual realm, to where we may behold the supernatural - behold, but also receive endless bounty for all the wonders of living! Overawed by His Beauty, our egos and fears burn away as we soak under the downpour of Unconditional Love, to become a shade of His Love ourselves... filled, we may then see as He sees, minister as He ministers, love our enemies as He loves them.

Then, we shall desire no more, for nothing else at all will compare to our Lover. Judgment is no longer our cry, upon American or Arab, but rather, as Bride and Wife of Christ Jesus, together we will call out, in still-fallible unity, "Come! Come, come further in!"

Satan will always use men unbridled from Holy Spirit to work destruction. Jealousy will live among us, but only within God's greater purposes for Time. Both petty and nation-spanning, it therefore has a role to play in the sifting of men for the duration of history; but God's good intent for life is greater than we know! It is greater than a history of division and strife, of misunderstanding or of willful choices. Let's run with joy toward the gift of Unity in its purest form: true freedom. Let's receive the power to walk in forgiveness through the Holy Spirit. Let's not covert anything except physical and spiritual unity, and let's set our hearts and minds toward the Blessing.

May we welcome God, through Jesus Christ, to overflow into our homes through prayer, into our churches, our schools, our neighborhoods, and on over our cities and nations. Reach for Him! Only then can Peace reign between men, we who struggle amidst every diversification and inequality of the Ages. Only then, will a radiant Bride rise to embrace her marvelous Lover and a Daughter run to meet her one True Father.

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