TRUE Unity

by Heidi Nottelman

At the beginning of each year, I have welcomed the practice that a friend shared with me, asking God to place a word on my heart to discover the whole year through. Each year I am startled by how relevant the word becomes and how much I learn about who Jesus is through it. This year the word that God whispered to me was UNITY. 

In the fresh start of this year, no one knew where our world would take us, not just one city, one town, one country ... but every nation under God. We were unaware that a virus would sweep across our world and touch every part of it. That it would create struggle, strain, and sorrow and also, bring calm, calling, and creativity all in the same moment. That we would find vital connections through the technology of today and that every age would learn how to communicate through it. That we would reach across this technology for connectedness to our family, friends, and workplaces and we would place a priority on this connectedness. We did not know, that somehow in this season, in some form or another, we would all need each other more. 

Jesus created this need in us, this need to be “with”. The deep-rooted need for us to be in relationship with Him and with those He places before us. It is so woven into the fabric of who we are, that at times when our lives are full, we barely recognize it until it is taken away from us. He knew this season would come, and while it is isolating us, Jesus calls us to be with. To reveal the call of our lives in relationship to others. To open our hearts and spaces to create authentic relationships and harmony among us. Within our families, marriages, kids, community, churches, and across the diversity of our cultures and races. No one is excluded, as every one of us is an image-bearer of Christ. 

Jesus created this need in us, this need to be “with”. The deep-rooted need for us to be in relationship with Him and with those He places before us.

It is through our relationship with Christ and through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we learn what a relationship of harmonious unity really looks like. Jesus invites us into a deeper relationship with Him, and to greater unity among others. 

In Ephesians, Paul talks about living out this unity because of the grace and love that Christ has shown. That as believers, part of our calling is to extend this grace through humility, gentleness, and love to create peace and harmony. 

“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, I beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together for peace. For there is one body and one spirit, Just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.” Ephesians 4:1-6 NLT 

As women under Christ, we have an innate sisterhood that ties us together in a uniquely beautiful bond. We grow and learn about each other and who we are in Christ through our relationships. We are strengthened and encouraged when we do life together through success and strife. We build bonds of love with our deep attention to the needs of one another. 

Jesus designed our relationships with each other to strengthen our faith. That they would draw out our divinely appointed gifts of the spirit that lay within each of us. That Christ would use our gifts in supernatural ways to love and support the growth in others and reveal Himself dwelling in us. 

As women under Christ, we have an innate sisterhood that ties us together in a uniquely beautiful bond.

“until we all come in such in unity and faith and knowledge of God’s son that we will mature in the lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ...we will speak truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ.  As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing full of love.” Ephesians 4:13,15-16 NLT 

In this season, the platform may have changed, but the message is still the same, to be “with”. To extend ourselves, to be invitational. To listen, encourage, to cry with, to speak truth over. In a world that is smaller because of technology, our invitation can reach across borders and around the world as easily as it is in our home or community. We can choose to be intentionally in genuine relationships with others. Inclusive, not exclusive, and build the bridges of true unity among us. Grace and harmony are found in these spaces. 

Above all, clothe yourselves with love which binds us together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:14 NLT 


Heidi.jpg

Heidi Nottelman is a wife and mother to 3 boys, a kinesiologist and a farmer. She and her family live on a small farm located in rural Victoria BC. She loves adventuring with her boys, and spending time with her friends. Heidi is involved with her local church’s women’s ministry, and in 2020 felt God calling her to more, so began an internship with Gather. Her passion is to gather women in authentic community to discover who they are in Christ. 

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Systemic Racism: Canada’s Inflection Point