The Joy of Glory

Psalm 133 
Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the LORD has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.

Reflection
You are brothers! Act like it!

I can’t tell you how often I heard those words during my growing up years. I have a brother who is five years younger than I am, and we fought… constantly.

Inevitably things would escalate until we got physical. I would push him down or punch his arm. He would cry and run to our parents. I would get lectured. And, then came the words…

You are brothers! Act like it!

Our familial unity was a reality that did not need to be created… it existed in our shared blood. We didn’t need to create unity between us… we needed to live into the unity that was already there!

This is even more true for believers in Christ! We have been born again into a new family. We share the same heavenly father. We are connected by something thicker than blood… the waters of baptism!

We don’t need to create our familial unity in the body of Christ… we need to live into it!

We ARE brothers and sisters! So we act like it!

When we do, we are experience a foretaste of the unity we will experience in Christ in eternity! We are getting a foretaste of life forevermore and it is a beautiful witness to the watching world of the power of God!

That’s what the Psalmist declares in Psalm 133! He compares our united to the ordination oil poured out on Aaron’s head when he was consecrated, set apart as the first high priest. Our unity consecrates us, sets us apart in this world and puts on display God’s divine power being poured out form above.

The Psalmist also says our unity is like dew upon the mountains which waters the earth to bring forth life. It is a life-giving blessing in this world that witnesses to the one who gives life from above!

To sum up, the Psalmist says that our unity is a blessing commanded by the Lord… it is a preview of life forevermore!

What a calling! And it is not one that we need to create! No. It is one that we are empowered to live into!

Shades Valley… you ARE brothers and sisters! Let us answer the call to act like it!

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.