Psalm 133 states:
"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron's beard,
downupon the collar of his robes.
It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows His blessing,
even life forevermore."
Unifying is such a wonderful thing. There are some common qualifications for unity (being brothers), but before one asks "at what cost?" one should know exactly what has been paid and spent. God went to a great deal of trouble to tear down the dividing wall between He and man, Jew and Greek, man and woman, slave and free. He spent His only Son. The cost was great -- far greater than we could afford. It is so great, that it would be a crying shame for us not to unify, for us to put unnecessary conditions on unity. If we are brothers, there is no good reason not to forgive, forget, repay, help, heal, restore (whatever it takes) to be unified with our brothers. Even so-called "serious" conflict, like not agreeing on prophecy or modern-day miracles and supernatural gifts of the Spirit...even those are not a good enough "excuse" to remain divided.
There's another funny reference that was probably a result of what the author was looking at when he wrote it -- "...precious oil running down on Aaron's beard." I bet that David was looking at this ceremonial and sloppy ritual as he wrote this.
God is good, and if we can tap into the things that He declares are good, then we will be most joyous and fulfilled. Unity of the brotherhood is one of those things.
Now, if I could just finish this issue of HM and send it to the printer!
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at May 25, 2005 09:13 AM