Living in the Spirit
August 24, 2015

Scripture Reading: Song of Solomon 2:8-13

8 The voice of my beloved! Look, he comes,
leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills.
9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
Look, there he stands behind our wall,
gazing in at the windows, looking through the lattice.
10 My beloved speaks and says to me:
‘Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away;
11 for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. –Song of Solomon 2:8-11

This love poem from the wisdom literature occurs in the midst of scriptures describing the comings and goings of good and bad leaders and the prophetic warnings associated with not following God’s way. Life goes on every day. Family happens. Winter turns to spring and young love is eternal. We do need to stop occasionally and remember love drives all parts of our lives whether it is love of God, love of siblings, or love of a spouse. Love drives all parts of our lives, if we let it.

Our society throws up many barriers to love’s wanting the best for another. It is frightening how many accounts we hear on the news of domestic violence: allegations of a boyfriend left in charge of his girlfriend’s baby who kills the child, teenagers who kill their parents and siblings, football players beating women, and a mother investigated 40 times for complaints of neglect of her children. All of these stories were reported in one day’s worth of news. Why is this happening? What do we need to do to help people learn the art of love in all aspects of their lives?

Evil overcomes us only when we drift away from God. Drifting away takes many forms and perhaps the most insidious is when we substitute manufactured false religious fervor for love and trust and hope in the living God. Selfishness overcomes love. Greed overcomes love. When the church sells both it tears at the fabric of faith.

Prayer: Lord forgive us when we choose to worship idols of self-indulgence rather than your great love. Merciful God help us love one another as you love us. 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.