SCRIP-BITS

Psalm 133:1.        ‘Behold, how good an how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!’

Oh my bredrin, it’s our sunny but somewhat cloudy and cool lazy-day Saturday, where we either sleep in for as long as possible, or get up and loll around on the couch, on the porch, the back yard or some such place that’s conducive to doing little of anything. (smile) That’s our Saturday heritage. 

Unfortunately though, I cannot enjoy those luxuries this morning because I have to attend a celebration of life at my church for one of our long time parishioners and church leaders. That means I am up and about at a rather early hour trying to do the Bit before I leave. And if I’m not successful in doing so, I’ll just do it when I return. Now that might make it a tad late, but rest assured you will get it asap. (smile) 

And to start the day off on a wise footing, let’s offer up our ‘Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer,’ with all sincerity and truth. As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

Ah friends, there’s nothing like offering up heartfelt and sincere prayers to our wonderful God, for as John reminds us in his first epistle. ‘And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired (asked) of him.’ (1 John 5:14-15) 

That means our asking for greater knowledge and intimacy with God, which is something He greatly desires, will surely be answered. So by now we ought to be feeling that calming and peaceful presence of His Holy Spirit working in us to help alleviate all the stress and strain of the just completed work week. What a great God we serve my people! 

And our praying together reminds me of that beautiful Psalm 133, where Bruh David confidently proclaims: ‘Behold, how good an how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!’ (Ps. 133:1) And isn’t that the gospel truth! It surely is! For what can be better than people who share a close relationship, such as a community of faith, living in harmony with each other and their God? Absolutely nothing! 

And to illustrate the goodness of that unity, the psalm continues with two powerful images that the Jewish people would be most familiar with. ‘It is like the precious ointment (oil) upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts (edge) of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded blessing, even life for evermore.’  (Ps. 133:2-3) 

Yes friends, brethren dwelling together in unity is as powerful and profound as when on the orders of God, (Ex. 29:1-9) Moses appointed Aaron as the priest and his sons to serve in the priesthood. Meanwhile Leviticus tells us: ‘And he (Moses) poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.’ (Lev. 8:12) Thus the running down of the anointing oil on Aaron’s beard and clothes.  According to one commentary: ‘This symbolizes something valuable and fragrant, a blessing from God.’ 

Then, when we talk of the dew of Hermon and the mountains of Zion, they are one and the same place. As Deuteronomy tells us about some of the land that Israel possessed. ‘From Aroer, which is by the bank of the river Arnon, even unto mount Sion, which is Hermon.’ (Deut. 8:48) And according to the above commentary, the dew that fell on Mt. Hermon and the mountains of Zion: ‘This is a metaphor for freshness, abundance, and the life-giving blessing that God bestows where His people dwell in unity.’ 

And we see that in the last part of verse 3 of the psalm; ‘for the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.’ That blessing can be found in Deuteronomy 28. ‘The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ (Deut. 28:8) Ah my fellow believers, there’s nothing as important as believers dwelling in unity and harmony, for then they are able to do God’s work properly and enjoy His many blessings for that work. 

And I like how the commentary describes the overall action of the psalm. ‘Psalm 133 uses vivid imagery to describe the profound and positive impact of unity among people, particularly within the context of faith and community, highlighting it as a source of divine blessing and life.’ 

And we ought to remember that, and start bringing all the many feuding divisions, religions, cliques or what have you, together, so that we can do God’s work properly, for all the divisiveness now pervading Christ’s church is sadly keeping us from that unity and thus positive and productive work. All it does is allow the enemy to have greater control of the many gullible and fearful people in the world, when it should be Christ Jesus they are worshipping and serving. 

Therefore on this lazy-day Saturday, as we laze and loll around the house, please, let’s seriously consider the disunity in Christ’s church and think of ways that we can reduce it and thus become as true brethren living in true unity. Remember, it’s all for our benefit, not God’s! Much LOVE!

… when Christ’s church is divided…His work is compromised…and thus of inferior quality…

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