How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!
For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting. Psalm 133 (NLT)
Heavenly Father, in response to this wonderful Psalm, we bring our relationships to the occupied throne of grace today—praying for the “wonderful and pleasant” harmony you commend.
We aren’t naïve. Until Jesus returns, Satan will continue his attacks on our friendships and marriages, families and churches. He’ll do anything to sabotage unity, sow dissension, and erode trust. He loves to create disconnect and fertilize contempt.
Father, for your glory, we’ll resist him tenaciously. Just like we’d resist a robber trying to break into our homes. For that’s who Satan is—the intruder who’s come to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). We’ll “make every effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3).
The best way we can do this is by constantly marinating in the gospel and abiding in your love. For the more we stay alive to your great love for us in Jesus, the more kind, humble, and forgiving we’ll be. We’ll take the log in our own eye more seriously than the speck in anybody else’s eye. The more stuff we’ll overlook, and the less offense we’ll take.
So, once again, Father, stagger, astonish, and renew our hearts with the daily-ness of your mercies and the riches of your grace. Grant us grace and wisdom for our hardest relationships, but also for our healthiest ones. Help us to be the chief repenters and main forgivers in each of our relationships—those who speak words of life, bring encouragement and always work for healing. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name.
