Living in the Spirit
July 18, 2015

Scripture Reading: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.—Mark 6:30-34

People today are hungry for spiritual food as they were in the first century when Jesus walked among them. Jesus took all who came to him, just as they were. We are not so good at that today. We like to run litmus tests before we welcome people to our tables. And we say it is a good thing we do this because look at what happened in Charleston. A small group of twelve dedicated Christians studying the Bible welcomed a young man who killed nine of them.

My pastor shared a story in a recent sermon about a group of young adults who came to the church to see if the sanctuary was available to a couple for a wedding. We have an older, more traditional building with a long center aisle, popular for weddings. The pastor described the group as having about as many hair colors as exists in bottles today wearing many pierced pieces of jewelry. He said, “Let me give you the tour.” And they were shocked because they had already been turned away from two other churches who refused to even talk with them. By all reports it was a beautiful, colorful wedding.

It is often the small, what seem to be insignificant actions that may change our lives completely. Being accepted for who we are as we are is one of those small things that means a lot. And yes Christians have had to face danger in their openness to loving from the very beginning. I am not saying we should be careless with safety. Our being prudent not only protects us but protects the one who is may be out of control. What I am saying is we need to trust in God to use us as God needs us to feed people who are hungry for God.

Prayer: Lord, you sent your disciples out two by two. Perhaps that was because there is safety in numbers. Perhaps that was because there is more courage when two or three are working together. Be present with us as we welcome all your children to your church. 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.