Living in the Spirit
October 24, 2016

Scripture Reading: Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4

The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.
O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,
   and you will not listen?
Or cry to you ‘Violence!’
   and you will not save?
Why do you make me see wrongdoing
   and look at trouble?
Destruction and violence are before me;
   strife and contention arise.
So the law becomes slack
   and justice never prevails.
The wicked surround the righteous—
   therefore judgement comes forth perverted. –Habakkuk 1:1-4

I am a glutton for punishment. I record the Sunday morning news shows and usually view them beginning with lunch. I ask myself a similar question regarding the news to the one raised by Habakkuk in our scripture today. Why do you make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble? Why is what seems so clear to me totally obscure to others? Is common ground possible? Why does everybody saying the same stale words addressing the same less important issues attract my attention? Surely God, does not expect me to do anything about this mess?

I believe our political system is a very accurate reflection of our general population, including me, although I hate to face it. I further believe that our political system will not improve until and unless we get our lives in order. In a few years, the issues that divide us will seem as antiquated as our reading in Paul’s writings about eating meat offered to idols or whether gentile men must be circumcised. These two issues were dividing the church in the first century and had the members not agreed to disagree on them and move on to following Christ’s concern of feeding the hungry, Christ’s kingdom vision might never have survived and we would be the poorer for it.

People of faith must heed the call of our brokenness and become diligent in modeling Christ’s message so that the whole world can learn his lessons of love and inclusion.

Prayer: Lord, I see the trouble, help me make my contribution to ending it in your way, your truth, as exemplified in your life. 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.