Devo 14: Psalm 133

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
    when brothers dwell in unity!
2 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!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
    life forevermore.

Devotional Thought — God Wants Life for Us:

Seeing the word “family” can be a word that lights up the eyes and boils our blood. It can give you flashbacks to cherished memories, or traumatic events. Friendship can be the same way. So, how can the  Psalmist talk about the pleasantness in unity (v. 1)? How can he say that brothers together is a blessing of life (v. 3)? Because the unity the God desires for us is not one of manipulation and deceit. It is not one of ill-placed expectations, isolation, and bullying. 

The family that God has literally died for is one that should be sacrificing for each other (Acts 2:42-47). The true family of God is across biological boundaries (Matthew 12:46-50). Those who lead in the family of God should be seeking to serve the family, not be self-serving and abusive (Mark 10:35-45). The true family should be living a life of love, peace, character, and holiness modeled after Christ himself (Ephesians 5:1-21). It is to that community that God desires for us to live in, bringing the blessing of life. 

Prayer:

Oh Lord of all creation. You know more than me how broken my life is. You know those who have hurt me and others. You know the tension in my relationships, and  how weak I often feel when we come into conflict. Father, I pray that you can work in my heart and theirs so that you can unite us in love and peace. Give me courage to be direct but loving in my relationships when there are fissures. Gift me patience and truth as I thirst to be rooted in your truth. Thank you for working in me, through me, and molding me toward your greater Glory of love and redemption. Amen.