Living in the Spirit
November 13, 2014
Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, ‘There is peace and security’, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.— 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4
I do not feel too much like a child of light this morning. The world is too much with me. I guess it started when I flip on the local news yesterday evening and found a blow by blow description of a hostage take over by a former soldier at a local law office. It all ended peacefully without any physical injury, I am sure the jury is still out on emotional and mental ramifications. I don’t get why people like to watch that detailed reporting but it made me wonder, if we who live in the USA really realize that too much of the rest of the world live the reality of hostage taking and other such chaos several times a day every day. There are over 10.4 million people living as refugees in our world.* Yesterday the news celebrated the release of the only Ebola victim that remained in a hospital in the USA, making us Ebola free at least for a time. As of November 7, 2014, there were 13,241 cases in the three African nations most affected by Ebola with 4,950 deaths**.
Please understand our light needs to shine on every wounded warrior who has returned to the USA from war and every person in the USA who suffers from disease and we are not doing enough to address either. I guess my discontent comes from our motivations for addressing such issues. Our motivation has a whole lot more to do with self-protection and self-preservation than being a light.
In point of fact, our investing in the research necessary to bring about healing of bodies, minds, and souls is often a gift to the whole world as is the research of other countries. We might though be in need of an attitude adjustment opening our hearts to our neighbors around the world and sharing our light with generosity and love just as they share their lights from the darkest of places tending to the sick, the hungry, the homeless in the best way that they can.
Prayer: Kindle a flame of love
Here in my heart, O Lord.
Set all my soul ablaze
With love and joy.
Reaching to all in need,
Pour out Your love through me.
Kindle a life that burns for You.***Amen.
*http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646c1d.html
**http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/case-counts.html
***Words by Ken Bible, inspired by a Celtic blessing Music by Ken Bible © 2005 by LNWhymns.com
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.