Living in the Spirit
July 24, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Romans 8:26-39 

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. — Romans 8:26-27

Who knew that all that memorization I did in school would still impact me or that Rudyard Kipling’s poem, If for Boys*, would pop into my head when considering the trials of our times? Here is the first verse. I would encourage you to read the full poem.

If you can keep your head when all about you
 Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
 But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
 Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated don’t give way to hating,
 And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

Fear is permeating the very fiber of our beings across the world. There are, in fact, some things out there about which fear is a most appropriate response. But fear seems to beget fear and when we are facing very real threats we also tend to imaginee ones that are not present. Such fear can make us do things that we would never do under normal circumstances. A plane was destroyed over war torn Ukraine. Some 300 people heading for the south pacific, many on vacation, were killed. The cause is not fully known, but it was most likely a byproduct of war or terrorism. Do we never get on another plane because of this incident? Good friends apparently returned from a trip through Israel just in time to miss the start of warfare again there. Do we no longer seek peace in the Middle East? Murder is becoming routine here in Oklahoma City. Do we stop loving our neighbors and welcoming strangers? God never said the world wouldn’t be scary. God said “Fear not”.

I have not the words to pray regarding seeking solutions to the dangers that face us every day but I take great heart in our scripture today for I know the Spirit is praying with me and knows exactly what to say.

Prayer: Spirit of the Living God, thank you for your indwelling presence. Please pray the words I cannot form. Amen.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/if/

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.