Unity & Harmony brings God’s blessing.

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“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! 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. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭133‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What’s is unity worth? What’s true harmony like, what does it yield? King David wrote this early in his reign, but it wasn’t inserted into Psalms until the end of his life. David reaches into two iconic moments or pictures that are deeply a part of culture of the people of Israel. To understand his comparison, we’ve got to find out about oil on Aaron’s beard and the dew of Hermon! Curious? I was.

Pastor Mike Hinojosa writes, “Ceremonial anointing in the Old Testament was a physical act involving the smearing, rubbing, or pouring of sacred oil on someone’s head (or on an object) as an outward symbol that God had chosen and set apart the person (or object) for a specific holy purpose.” He mentions the significance of separation, but also the idea of blessing. David picks up the theme of oil running down as an abundance of blessing. The oil was a specific blend of spices that God Himself prescribed in Exodus 30:22-25. I had heard that the oil recipe was a well kept secret, passed onto to generations of High Priests. The process of anointing Aaron was a high and holy celebration that perfectly captured the picture of unity as God’s people came to participate and celebrate together.

The dew of Mount Hermon. Mount Hermon (or “sacred mountain”) is the highest mountain in ancient Israel, boasting majestic, snowcapped peaks rising just over 9,000 feet above the sea. GotQuestions.org writes, “the slopes of Mount Hermon, in the north, receive profuse amounts of dew. Mount Zion, in the south, is much drier. David compared the refreshing dew of Hermon to the blessings of unity in Israel, from north to south. Harmony among God’s people is life-giving.”

In both examples of oil running down and dew falling are powerfully popular scenes of God both of blessing and His provision coming down on His people when they are obedient and coming together in these moments of harmony. References to this kind of unity is in stark contrast to the bitter complaints of the older Jewish community as they struggled to embrace freedom in the wilderness. This psalm should let us know just how much God values unity among believers, but also that God is willing to back those efforts with blessing and provision in our obedience.

Prayer

​Dad,
I know that every Pastor or church leader aches for unity within Your Church. No one likes grumbling, complaining, blaming and embittered battles among Your saints! Yet, it is one of the hardest things to eliminate. A culture of disunity just invites more church hurt. In the desire for more harmony, we all understand it brings blessing. Your presence invites us to be of one heart, one mind, one spirit. Help us to lay down our inner personal grievances and grief to welcome the oil of gladness and the promise of life-giving dew that drops on our gathering.

Spirit auto-tuning.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Anyone that doesn’t recognize that we, as humans, are weak at so many things, hasn’t taken inventory of self and others lately. Oh, we are not weak in bravado, opinions and endless chatter. We are weak in follow through or belief translating into behavior. We think we know A LOT, which really, we don’t. And, even though we desire more knowledge, more information, it is definitely the curse of knowing good and evil without the wisdom to live it out and give it out to others. There’s a disconnect – that’s truly our weakness.

So when the Apostle Paul tells the citizens of Rome, the gathering of the saints in the city – the Holy Spirit HELPS us, we should pay attention. How does the Spirit help? We are so enamored with ourselves and unaware of the plans and ways of God, we don’t really know what to pray for! The Holy Spirit helps as a translator of deep griefs, yearnings, even joy to cry out to God. Even when we do, it just sounds like heavey, greavey, groans. Our prayers go out, now in sync with the Spirit, but sound unintelligible! Yet, the Father knows what our heart is crying out for because the Spirit is translating our groans into requests and pleadings to be in harmony with God’s will. Then, through the Spirit of God turning moans into melodic music! This is amazing! Who would not want a full time translator taking our chaotic feelings and frustrations, then auto-tuning them into something beautiful, even useful? We cannot undervalue nor underestimate the power of the Spirit of God nor the gift of praying in the Spirit. Keep calm and pray on!

Prayer

Dad,
There is so much going on in my head and heart. And, there is an abundance of noise and hecticness surrounding me. I am thankful for the moments where groans and unintelligible emotions are given to you through the Holy Spirit. I am thankful for the gift and the opportunity to not only pray requests, but also pray with intercession of things I feel, but to not understand and things I understand but can’t do anything about! I am so grateful for the Spirit auto-tuning my prayers to you.