Living in the Spirit
August 1, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Romans 9:1-5

 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. — Romans 9:4-5

What Christians have traditionally called the “Old Testament” is called the Hebrew Bible among many today. Whatever we call it, it is the history of God’s working among and through the Hebrew people told in story, poetry, wisdom literature, and the listing of laws.

What I have found about this part of the Bible is a profound understanding that people are just people set in different times and places. We laugh, we cry, we live we die, we love, we hate, and we spiral up and we spiral down moving near to and pulling far away from God. God’s message from the beginning has been: abide with me and I will abide with you. Yet we are challenged at every turn by things that are just that: things of no real value that entice us away from walking with God.

Where we abide is a choice. Our relationship with God is an intentional act. God stated our Lord’s intentions from the beginning, it is now our turn. For any relationship to thrive we must invest the hard work of communicating and sharing our lives. This is true with others. This is true with God.

Prayer: Let me abide in your tent for ever, find refuge under the shelter of your wings.(Psalm 61:4) Amen.