A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!  2  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;  3  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. KJV

Did you notice there is a blessing commanded for being in the “right place”.  That place is not a geographical place on the globe rather it is a matter, an attitude , an atmosphere of the heart.

Unity you understand is an atmosphere of the heart.  It is an atmosphere of love, respect, and honor in a home, a workplace, or in a church. The Apostle Paul admonished us to “keep the unity of the Spirit”. The Amplified Bible states: “ strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace.” Eph 4:3

Now back to our main verse notice according to Jamison, Faussett, & Brown’s  Commentary   There is a great assembly being pictured here. It is a meeting of the brotherhood at one of the great festivals. The great festivals were to be occasions to awaken God’s people to his brotherhood and to the communion of saints. They had been for twenty years suspended while the ark was at Kirjath-jearim. Now, under David they were being renewed at Zion, where the ark had been removed. When I think of this passage I can’t help but think of the movie “The return of the King” in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  

The Lord’s people for the first time in years are gathered together to present themselves before the presence of the Lord, How wonderful it must have been after all the years.  I picture the Great Supper of the Lamb will be like that, a vast table of blessing set before us and our names and places set by the King himself.  How thrilled we will be to see our names set in the place of honor, seated with those who served the Master and fought their fight faith on earth. There will be such love, honor, and joy to be called to that place and we will be so overjoyed at the people we see there.  Folks, that’s the picture of Unity for the church we need to keep in mind and keep before us.

And did you notice in Ephesians 4 the words, “ strive earnestly to guard and keep”? Why are those words there?   Really it is very simple, the enemy comes as a roaring lion Peter tells us in his first epistle.  In Peter’s  preceding verses he reminds us of the importance of humility. He writes: “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:”( 1 Peter 5:5)

Folk humility is the context for his statement about our enemy as the roaring lion.  Let me say it again the roaring of the lion is pride, and strife.  We are admonished to keep pride and strife out of our lives. We are rather to keep and guard the love, unity, and peace we have in our homes, work places and church.  

Satan’s great desire is to get you at odds with your neighbor, family member, church and ultimately God himself!  So God admonishes us in his word to guard your love for people, to guard your love for your family, to guard the love for you church family, and to guard the unity that we hold together in our homes, and church.

The truth is our lives have been built by people! God has led people to teach you , encourage you, and to comfort you.  Never, Never, Never take that for granted, appreciate them,  honor them! Those that labor over you (as the scripture says) give them your respect and love.

Children your parents one day will not be on this earth don’t forget to respect them for their work in your life.  You must show your appreciation now while they are still here.

I love Phil. 2:1-4 in the Message Bible, “ If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if  his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

As a church there is an atmosphere developed by love in the people of God called Unity.  Practice it, guard it, keep it for this place of Unity has with it God’s commanded blessing!