The dream lingered in my mind after I awoke, which was unusual in itself. In the dream I had walked along the street gathering firewood until my arms were so full I could carry no more. I lay my bundle down and went on to gather more. When I turned and looked back, the wood had burst into flames and I wondered what had happened.

As I mused on the dream, a verse of scripture came to mind. “And when the day of Pentecost had come they were all in one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:1-4

Suddenly the light broke! My wood had burst into flame because it was gathered in a cord! The Lord is a punster, I thought, and for half a day I chuckled at His whimsy.

It was only a few days later that I was reading an account of some early Pentecostals and was struck by the words:

They went into a small room to pray, because when the sticks are close together the fire can come down.

God speaks to us in so-called coincidences.

The words of a song ran through my mind:

Bind us together, Lord
Bind us together, Lord
With cords that cannot be broken.

There it was again! Bind us together with a cord – in accord.

How important is that accord in the Lord? Before his passion Jesus prayed to his Father that all Christians might be one.

That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee, that they may also be one in us. John 17:21

Jesus still intercedes before the father for our unity with each other and with him. We are to be one with Christ. We are the mystical body of Christ. He is the head and we are all parts of his body, bonded together by the spirit of love, the Holy Spirit of God. We, with him, have a human mother, Mary, and a divine Father. We are to be a family, with all Christians as brothers and sisters, in a closer, more real union than that between blood brothers and sisters.

How distressing it must be to Jesus to see what has happened to the church he built upon the rock of Peter. Where is the unity? How can over 300 denominations, each with its own scriptural interpretations, each acting on its own authority, gladden his heart?

Jesus taught us to pray together with our brothers and sisters to our Father, saying, “Thy will be done.” When we gather together, whether in large groups or small, the sound of our great AMEN to the Father’s will rises like a harmonious chord. Then will the Holy Spirit of God be poured out on us as in the upper room at Pentecost.

Let us pray for unity. Let us strive for unity. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful. Kindle in us the fire of your love

Fill us anew. Let the fire fall!

~~~

The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to mind all that I have said to you. John 14:26