SOAP Journal 04-30-2008 (Psalm 133:1-3)

Scripture:

Psalm 133:1-3 Look! How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together! It is like fine oil poured on the head which flows down the beard - Aaron’s beard, and then flows down his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, which flows down upon the hills of Zion. Indeed that is where the Lord has decreed a blessing will be available – eternal life.

Observation:

The brotherhood of people of faith - peaceful coexistence with blessing flowing - is good and pleasant to God. The flow of anointing oil over God's priest is a sign of opulence at the point of ordination - a formal declaration of one being set apart and chosen combined with rich covering from on high - is paralleled with dew sent by God over the physical land. That is, both people and creation itself are "smiled upon" when harmony exists between brothers. It is here - in this state of harmony - where the Lord has made eternal life available.

Application:

Well, the Lord is certainly "into" unity of believers. How much more should I be laying down my agendas, my standing, my position to achieve this unity. I need to be a giver of respect and a humble blessor of God's people. The promise is so rich, so sweet here that it completely overshadows any cost. And taking up offense is also to be AVOIDED as much as any advance of fellowship.

Prayer:

O God, let me be this for my brothers. Let me have a heart after Yours in this regard, that I might be an instigator of harmony, a blender of cultures and the humblest of brothers in You. In Jesus' name. Amen.