Living in the Spirit
June 3, 2015

Scripture Reading: Psalm 138

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
   you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;
you stretch out your hand,
   and your right hand delivers me.
The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me;
   your steadfast love, O Lord, endures for ever.
   Do not forsake the work of your hands. –Psalm 138: 7-8

Several years ago there was a popular saying, God Doesn’t Make Junk, referring to all the earth and all the plants and animals including humans that dwell on it. Junk is something that is more than worthless; it is in the way, a nuisance.

Our Psalm today tells us that we were each created with a purpose and the Lord will fulfil that purpose. Now how does God fulfil our purpose? Does it first take our commitment to God? The Psalm does not speak to any commitment on our part? Does it mean right now, in the midst of all the trouble spoken about earlier? Or does it mean on the day of the Lord when all things will be set right?

The answer seems to be all of the above. God did not create anything without purpose. I do think God wants us to choose to partner with God, to love the Lord as the Lord loves us. I think God hardwired us so that fulfilling our purpose is our greatest source of joy and thus it makes sense in the day of the Lord we will be fulfilled. But I think God wants us to experience a taste of joy in the here and now, even in the midst of trouble.

I watched a report on the news the other evening about all the junk that ended up in the Oklahoma River flowing through Oklahoma City as a result of the torrential rains and heavy flooding we have been receiving. Human lives have been lost as have homes and crops and animals. The man who was operating the machine extracting the junk from the river said he routinely cleans the river of debris but he had never seen this much before. I could not help but notice his sense of satisfaction in being able to do something positive in the midst of trouble. There is joy in in the here and how.

Prayer: Lord, help us to show our love for you by pursuing your purpose for us right here and right now. Amen.

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.