It’s Good? AND Pleasant??

SCRIPTURE:

OBSERVATION:

We live in a deeply divided world. Young and Old. Rich and Poor. Liberal and Conservative. White and Colored. Rural and Urban. Educated and Uneducated. And that’s not even going into the hot topic issues of the economy, health care, international relations, immigration, gun policy, abortion, identity, climate change––the list goes on and on and on. But what is God’s answer to worldly division? Kingdom unity.

In Psalm 133, King David writes “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). Take note that unity is an extremely special blessing because it is not just good. It is not just pleasant. It is both good and pleasant. Think about it––not everything good is pleasant, and not everything pleasant is good. However, unity is one of those rare things that are both good and pleasant. Unity is good because it reflects God’s heart for His people and fulfills Christ’s final prayer for us in the garden “that all of them may be one…so that the world may believe that You have sent me” (John 17:21). Unity is also pleasant because it makes life more enjoyable and fulfilling. 

But how good and pleasant it is? Extremely. David goes on to write “it is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe” (Psalm 133:2). In those days, they wouldn’t anoint people with a small cross on the forehead like we do today. Rather, they would pour a whole “hin” of oil on their heads. You know how much a hin is? 1.5 gallons! Imagine getting all of that poured on your head!! It would saturate your hair, run down your face, and drip down your whole body. That’s a lot of oil! But that’s exactly what David is trying to say. When we live together in unity, it is a rich, and generous, and abundant blessing from God that overflows onto every part of our life we allow it to drip on. More importantly, unity is holy. Anointing oil was used only for special occasions––to consecrate and set apart someone for God. When we choose to dwell together in unity, we choose to set ourselves apart as holy and set apart for God.

And what is the result of this good and pleasant blessing? Life. David ends this psalm by saying “It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore” (Psalm 133:3). Although Israel was in the desert, Mount Hermon was special. It was green and alive with plants––a stark contrast to the lifeless desert that surrounded it. The life on Mount Hermon was largely in part because of the dew that covered it every morning. This dew fertilized the ground, refreshed the environment, and kept the plants alive. This is what unity does to us––it fertilizes our foundations, refreshes our relationships, and keeps us alive. It quenches dry seasons and makes us a stark contrast to the arid world that surrounds us.

Unity. It is both good and pleasant. It is a rich, abundant, and generous blessing from God. And when we engage in unity, it keeps our relationships, and ourselves, alive.

APPLICATION:

Unity is God’s answer to this deeply divided world. And today, He asks you to let it be your answer too. 

Now, don’t get Him wrong. He’s not talking about unity of thought, culture, politics, or anything of the world, for that matter. God is not asking us to have all the same thoughts and opinions. No––He is asking us to have Kingdom unity. After all, David writes that it is good and pleasant when WHO lives together in unity? God’s people. All unity is not good and pleasant. It is only the unity of God’s people that brings on this blessing. When those who proudly wear His name as a “Christian” and who have been radically transformed by His love put aside their differences and trade their pride for humility that this abundant, life-giving blessing takes shape.

In this deeply divided world, choose to be a person of Kingdom unity. Love others well. Forgive your brothers and sisters in Christ quickly. Give them the grace you would want to receive from them. And even if they wrong you, choose to take on the position of the humble servant because that’s what Christ did for you.

As Jesus says in Mark 3:24-26, “24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.” Don’t be the weakest link that causes God’s House to crumble upon itself. Instead, choose to fight for unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ. And when you do, reap the abundant, life-giving blessings God has in store for those who choose to stand together under the banner of Christ.

PRAYER:

God,

Thank You for Your good and pleasant blessing of unity. I repent for the times I have let my pride get in the way and failed to stand united with my brothers and sisters. Forgive me, and help me to be a uniter rather than a divider. Make me a vessel of Your unity, Your love, and Your light to this world that so desperately needs it. Holy Spirit, anoint Your church with the unity that comes only from You. Make us one as You are one with the Father so that we may be pleasing unto You. We love You, Lord. Thank You for loving us, even when we fail to love one another.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen