Living in the Spirit
November 3, 2016

Scripture Reading: Romans 13:11-14

Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

 When I left for college many years ago, a dear mentor of mine slipped me the words of this hymn to carry me through a time of transition.

In times like these, we need a Savior
In times like these, we need an anchor
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock 

This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He’s the one
This Rock is Jesus, The only One
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock*

In all the messiness of this election year, I keep thinking we are on the cusp of taking a major step toward the realization of the Kingdom of God. This seems a little crazy even to me. The Body of Christ is so divided right now; we can all sing the same song, expecting markedly differing outcomes. The question with which we must struggle today and especially on November 9 is how do we lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light when our definitions of darkness and light are so different?

We need to explore in depth the way of Jesus. We need to understand his vision of justice and how he sees it playing out in real time. We need to empty ourselves of all that holds us back from living in God’s radical love as manifested in Jesus Christ. And we need to find the pieces of God’s vision on which we can all agree and work on those together until we experience true oneness that will open wider the window of opportunity to God’s way.

Prayer: Lord, help us find the acorn of justice in which we can all share and make it the ointment that heals our collective souls. Amen.

*Selections from the hymn In Times Like These by Ruth Caye Jones http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/ruth_cye_jones/in_times_like_these-lyrics-914155.html#ixzz4Orcmi2yl

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.