Together

 “How can two walk together except they be in agreement?”

 Amos 3:3

I recently picked up a CD from 1966. I loved it then. I love it now. “Sounds of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel is wonderfully crafted poetry set to beautiful melody and accented by lifting harmonies. It’s a rich experience to listen to music that is good harmony. The album [as we called the vinyl in the 60’s] contained beautiful harmony, the album was in harmony with the culture of the day and the themes were in harmony with the searching souls of the day. Oddly, a song describing the searching hearts of a generation torn by war and social upheaval, “The Sound of Silence”, made a BIG noise around the globe. Ironically, a song about silence became an anthem of a generation because it was in harmony with the movements swirling together in a confused culture that did not discount spiritual seeking. Harmony is powerful whether in song or poem.

David, the psalmist, wrote “How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in harmony. . . “—Ps 133. Brothers in harmony is indeed a good thing, but how much better it is to be in unity with God. Jesus prayed it for us while He lived it for Himself. This unity is the aim of redemption. It is the goal of God’s action of reconciling the world to Himself. It is the wisdom, power and glory of God. And harmonious unity is the glory of heaven. I don’t think it foolish or immature to say that nothing is sweeter. Nothing is more sacred. Nothing is more secure. Life Together with God and each other.

Prayer accomplishes this and so much more. This is why prayer is important to God and for us. Prayer is the great harmonizer of the Spirit. It is in prayer that our minds are renewed to God’s way; that our desires are shaped into that which is in harmony with God’s desire. Prayer brings realities together. Prayer brings heaven to earth and lifts earth-dwellers into the heavenlies. Prayer unites. It brings us together on this globe and it brings eternity into harmony with our existence. A prophet named Amos some 700 years before Jesus wrote, taught and preached, “How can two walk together except they be in agreement?” He was right. It is good to be together with like-hearts and God.