Psalm 133:1-3 Dwell in Unity
Our psalmist tells of the great joy of actually dwelling in unity with our brothers and sisters. Unity generated by a shared commitment to the Lord.
So what is unity? I went and found the definition on Dictionary.com. Here is what they have to say:
- the state of being one; oneness.
- a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.
- the state or fact of being united or combined into one, as of the parts of a whole; unification.
- absence of diversity; unvaried or uniform character.
- oneness of mind, feeling, etc., as among a number of persons; concord, harmony, or agreement.
There are many places we seek unity. In a corporation, in marriage, in the church and sometimes in government. In a corporation unity is required to maintain the specific goals the company has committed to. All members are supposed to be working towards those shared goals, even if they don’t share the same function or take the same path to that goal. Often this is takes external motivators to keep the people committed to the task; raises, promotions and stock options to name a few.
In marriage, the results of physical unity are obvious. They are the children formed from that union. Joint finances are often established as an effort in unity. Shared decision making, goals and responsibilities are crucial to reaching and maintaining unity in this relationship.
The church has a unity based on shared beliefs and purpose. Our purpose is to serve our Lord in whatever fashion He asks. Our belief in the Lord and in His word is the foundation on which we build. They committed together to follow His words that were handed down to them at Mt. Sinai. To have NO other gods in their lives. Today we strive for a unity committed to the Lord, modeled after the theme of a healthy body; the Body of Christ. Each member has a purpose that supports the overall function of the church. Each is important and the body is not whole without all its members.
Government is one of the hardest places to establish unity, especially a democratic government. It is an inherent adversarial system in which one side tries to win over the other(s). Once the election is over though but winners are supposed to work together for the good of those they govern. Because the winners are NEVER ALL from the same party there will be conflict and disagreement. But some issues cross party lines and unify the people as one. Responses to tragedy is one of the most unifying forces.
Unity though does NOT mean ‘cookie cutter’ lives. Jesus prayed that we would all live together in unity as He and the Father. But Jesus is not a ‘cookie cutter’ copy of the Father. They, along with the Holy Spirit, share their core being of God but they each have their own form and function. Each have an area where they are separate in action while still maintaining their united purpose and goals. Jesus is our intercessor for the believers. The Holy Spirit is our comforter. The God is our Father. They are One yet they are also three. You cannot have one without the others.
I’m pretty sure I shared this before but I can’t find it so I can’t link back to it. When I was younger I heard a Christian evangelist describe the Trinity as a cherry pie. The crust was cut into three parts but the insides were all mixed together. They were identical on the inside but could still be separated onto different dishes. You had to be very quick when pulling a piece from the pan or the other your filling would flow out from between your crust. I see the Trinity as an egg. An egg is incomplete without all three pieces. Without the shell the content doesn’t hold together. Without the white, there is no nutrient for the developing yoke. And without the yoke there is no life. ALL THREE have to be present and working together to create life. Each part has a specific purpose but they are all one entity. They can also be separated to perform specific functions but they always refer back to their united design; egg shell, egg yolk, and egg white. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I believe this is as close to understanding unity as we can get in our natural world.
In the time this psalm was written, Israel believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the I Am. They saw His Presence manifested in the Tabernacle and Temple and they were waiting for the Messiah, whom they believed would be God also (or at least that’s how I understand it). Their unity and Trinity as they understood it. All were united but separate.
In our world we don’t achieve complete unity. In the corporate world there is often infighting and even take-over attempts. The divorce rate in the United States of America in 2022 is 44.2%; two out of every six people who get married will get divorced. Denominations and differences in doctrine have given rise to SO MANY different religions that I can’t even name them all; many of those not even acknowledging God’s greatest gift of His Son. And don’t get me started on government! I don’t know the last time there was unity on anything related to government in the United States, even after the election was completed and verified!
Of all these, the divisions in the body of Christ hurt the most. Divorce among Christians is only estimated to be 10% less than those with no religious affiliations. Members of Christ’s Body fight for positions and dismiss or undervalue other roles/positions. This ought not to be!!!
He calls us to be in unity, like the oil running down over Aaron’s head. It moved as one as it soaked his hair, his beard and even the collar of his garments. Each drop flowed in its own direction but it was still linked together in purpose; to anoint the first high priest for the Lord. Like the dew that waters the grass on Mt. Zion. It falls equally on all the plants and grass, giving nourishment to all it touches. Providing the same resource everything it sits on; grass, tree, and ground alike. Refreshing them and bringing life in a parched place.
This call to unity is to ALL who call Him Lord. None are exempt. None are cookie cutter molds either. All are special, unique, and important to the health of His body. And it starts at home. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18). Start there and build unity in your homes, in your marriages, and in your relationships with your fellow believers. NOT an easy task but one He can help you accomplish.
Father God, my first marriage was one of those statistics. NOT of my own choosing though. Thank You for loving me through it and in spite of it. Thank You for bringing me my husband who is committed with me to NEVER become another statistic. Help me in our relationship to let You shine through all I do and promote unity between us. Protect his heart when, for reasons of health, I have to stand firm against something he wants to do. Help me in my relationship to be more like You every day and to build unity in my family. We are coming up on our ‘unity building’ day soon; Camp NaPa. Help me show Your love in everything I do that day for my family. Let it be a day of joy, without sorrow or feelings of isolation.
