Please enjoy the following devotional written by Ascent College faculty member and Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Dr. Don Kammer, as part of our “Psalms in the Summer” series.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
(Psalm 133, KJV)
You really don’t have to flip the pages with Psalm 133. It is short, especially in contrast to the much longer Psalm 119. Psalm 133 stares you in the face with its bold first sentence depicting the pleasure of unity. In this Psalm, unity is goodness visibly expressed as sensuous, precious oil running from the top of the head down into the clothing.
Working together in a spirit of common purpose is to be cherished and cultivated by the people of God. Relishing unity is desirable, and living in unity is a healing ointment. The Psalmist argues that unity is a divine blessing. Imagine, we are all called to the life and work of unity in a world divided by so much. Just turn from one news station to another, and you will see the harsh nature of the human divide.
In this environment, I have occasionally witnessed well-meaning religious people resort to the harsh maligning of others with whom they do not agree, either politically or religiously. That is not being a person who esteems living in peace. That behavior breaks the unity of the Spirit.
It is possible to disagree and be agreeable. We can love those with whom we disagree. Why not give that a try over the next year?
Let us pray and hope true believers over the next year avoid mean-spirited rhetoric and instead cultivate a Spirit of unity in the tradition of love for one’s neighbor. Let us all, who follow the Good Shepherd, be good to one another, despite our differences.
Let those who affiliate with this growing and remarkable endeavor of God, Ascent College, be models of unity, sharing our common bond of love and faith in all of the relationships which God has entrusted us with.