The Blessed Fellowship

The Blessed Fellowship

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!

Psalm 133:1

IN WORD It’s a strange psalm in modern contexts. The oil of Aaron (v. 2) and the dew of Hermon (v. 3) are lost on us. But the images would have been loaded with meaning to the Israelites who first heard them. They would have presented a picture of God’s greatest blessings falling upon a united fellowship.

Oil was poured on Aaron’s head for his anointing as the father of Israel’s priests. Verse 2 describes a thorough covering; he was thoroughly sanctified and powerfully prepared for his priestly work. He was set apart to God for a specific, holy purpose. He was ordained to communicate God to humanity and humanity to God in the prescribed acts of worship. The precious oil on his head, flowing down his beard and onto his robes, was a sign that God was with His people.

The dew of Mount Hermon was abundant; it made the land green and fruitful. What if, as the psalmist suggests, it had fallen on Mount Zion and Jerusalem? It would have blessed the land in amazing ways. The most holy city would have been the most fruitful city.

IN DEED That’s what unity does. It turns a common gathering into a priestly community, able to communicate God to humanity and vice versa. It points to His character for those who don’t know Him, and it confirms His presence among those who do. Unity is the best evidence that God is living, active, and where the fellowship is.

Unity also makes the fellowship fruitful. It takes the dew—the blessing of God—from one place and pours it on a needy land. It turns a common people into a holy conduit of mercy, where God’s character flows and powerfully changes lives. It makes dry land green.

That’s how good and pleasant our unity is to God. It isn’t a casual matter to Him; it’s critical. God desires our unity because our unity shows the world who He is and how He works. If we don’t have it, they won’t know Him.

Strive for unity. It’s a good and pleasant gift, a precious, powerful sign that God is among us.

If we focus on our differences, our focus is on each other. If we focus on unity, our focus is on God.

—ANONYMOUS