How Very Good and Pleasant...

Scripture

Psalm 133

¹ How very good and pleasant it is
    when kindred live together in unity!
² It is like the precious oil on the head,
    running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down over the collar of his robes.
³ It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
    life forevermore.

Devotion

God did not create humans to live in isolation.  In Genesis 2, God says that it is not good for Adam to be alone and creates his partner Eve.  From then on, people have clung together.  Yes, we have a band tendency to fight among ourselves and we've done some horrible things to one another over the millennia.  Even when we take all that into account, we are at our best when we live together in unity.

As Psalm 133 puts it, our relationships are as precious as the holy oil that was poured upon Aaron when he was anointed as high priest.  They are like the  life-giving dew that descends from Mount Hermon to revive and refresh the parched valleys below.  The message here is that our relationships with one another are incredible blessings that pour down from heaven itself.  They are life-giving and precious.  They bring us joy in our times of sorrow.  They are holy.

Our society teaches to us to prioritize possessions and our position more than our relationships.  How many times have we cancelled plans with a friend or loved one so we could work a little longer?  Who among us hasn't hurt or neglected someone as we pursued something we wanted?  We reason that the people will understand or that we'll make it up to them later.  But we tend to forget that the people God puts in our lives is a far greater blessing than then anything else than our jobs, our stores, or anything else in this world can offer.

If this pandemic is teaching us anything, it is that our relationships matter.  Now that we are stuck in our homes and surrounded by all the things we worked hard to attain, many of us find ourselves realizing just how much our family, friends, and acquaintance mean to us.  We miss cousins and fellow choir members... workout buddies and favorite waiters.   And each and every day, someone tells me how much they miss another member of our church. Now that they are harder to maintain, we see how important our relationships are.  And some of us may even feel a little guilty for moments when we have taken someone for granted.

The Good News is that there are still ways to connect with one another.  We just have to work with God and be a little creative on how we receive our blessings.  Almost every day, my sister and I fire up a video chat and put on fun filters so I can "visit" with her and my baby niece.  Every Sunday night, I join a group of my friends from seminary (now spread across the country) as we check in on and support one another.  Those check-ins have become such a blessing that I wanted to offer a version of it to my congregation.  Starting this past week, I'm hosting a periodic church "Fellowship Times" on Zoom so people can give each other a bit of the love and support they usually share on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. 

Video chatting from my kitchen or office always makes me slightly uncomfortable.  There's always some kind of tech. problem, and I rarely look or feel my best.  But the joy of seeing people's faces and hearing how they are doing more than makes up for any discomfort. I may feel.  Each call I make--each person that laughs when a cat strolls across a screen or someone's child demands a drink--reminds me of how blessed I am to have that person in my life.  Through the dubious miracles of modern technology and the willingness of other people to tune in, God's precious blessings are continuing to pour down on me from above.  I am grateful for each and every one of those sometimes funny, sometimes painful, and often awkward chats.

As we continue to move forward, I challenge you to set aside some time for building up your relationships.  Just because we are keeping our physical distance from one another doesn't mean that we are alone.  If video chatting isn't your thing, then why not give someone a call?  Or write them a note.  Or send them a small gift that lets them know you are thinking of them.  You can even drive by their home and wave from afar.  I even know pastors who are connecting with their youth groups through video game platforms!  And I'm sure you can think of many other creative ways to keep in touch with folks.

The important thing isn't necessarily how we keep dwelling in unity with one another.  What truly matters is that we take the time to do something that works for us and the people we care about.  When we commit to building on our relationships, we make room for God's precious blessings to continue pouring into our lives.  Those blessings will refresh our hearts and anoint our spirits as we continue witnessing to God's love.  Just like that, our loads will lighten a bit.  Our burdens will get a little easier to bear.    And our lives become a little more joyful.

We are not meant to be alone.  Even when we are physically apart, we will get through this together.  And God's blessings will flow down on us as we do our parts to continue living together in unity.  This is God's promise now and forever.  And God's always keeps his promises.

Today's song is a common Hebrew folk song based on Psalm 133. 

Translation: "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity."

Prayer

Creator, you know that it is not good for us to be alone.  We thank you for the rich blessing of the people in our lives.  Inspire us to be creative in the ways we maintain and build our relationships with others.  May we always remember how good and pleasant it is when we dwell together in unity.