Harmony's Blessing - Psalm 133

"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down Aaron’s beard onto his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord has appointed the blessing—life forevermore" (Psalm 133, HCSB).

While it may be the gathering of God's people at Jerusalem during one of the annual festivals that inspired the Psalmist to write this brief reflection, he assures us that God's blessing abounds wherever brotherly love among God's people abounds.

And what is the blessing that emanates from living in harmony with one another?

Eternal life!

The Psalmist associates these two: harmony among God's people and eternal life. After all, eternal life is the shared existence of the redeemed of God. Spurgeon said that God is pleased to see his people love one another. Therefore, He gives us His best blessing of eternal life.

So, if harmony among God's people is the cause for receiving God's blessing and eternal life is the effect, then we must assume that eternal life is a place where the redeemed of God dwell in harmony with one another...

Forever!

Think about it: When you get to heaven, it's not just you...or you and God...but you and God and ALL His redeemed people.

If eternal life is something we endeavor to obtain, then we should, as God's people, live together in harmony.

If brotherly love among God's redeemed can't prevail for a awhile on this earth, how can we expect to live together forever in eternity?

If we're going to be in an eternal love relationship with one another, then it's imperative that we learn how to get along with one another now because eternal life starts now...in this life!

Just how important is living together in harmony? The Apostle John says that brotherly love is a key indicator of being a Christian (or not): "The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother is in the darkness" (1 John 2:7). And if we still don't get it, then how about this: "But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes" (I John 3:11).

If brotherly love is refreshing like fine oil and dew, then alienation from one another makes our faith dry and parched! As Christians we need to get over our distinctions!

Because He Who makes us alike (like Him) is greater than what makes us different. "The One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

Unfortunately, we spend too much time and energy time delineating ourselves, designating our differences, drawing boundaries: Catholic/Protestant, Mainstream/Evangelical, Reformed/Arminian, Traditional/Contemporary.

Too many sermons are preached and too many Bible lessons are taught about what defines our particular group and distinguishes our group from the other groups than on how we can dwell together in harmony.

So what can we do to receive harmony's blessing?

The Apostle John offers a poignant and compelling refrain to the Psalmist's musing. John says to look at how God loves us and recognize how great His love is for us. It is a Love held in common by us all, a Love transforming us into the same species. God is making us like Himself, making ALL His redeemed people like Himself: "Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are... We are God’s children now,and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears,we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure." (1 John 3:1-3, HCSB)

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