Living in the Spirit
June 2, 2018

Scripture Reading: Mark 2:23-3:6

One sabbath he was going through the cornfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ And he said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.’ Then he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.’ –Mark 2:23-28

Rules, regulations, and laws are meaningless if they do not address a perceived end or result. They are never ends unto themselves. When we make them ends unto themselves, they are rendered worthless. Most rules, regulations, and laws we obey or choose not to obey are practiced as habits that do not make them any less means to an end rather than an end unto themselves, although It is probably a good idea to revisit at times their continued necessity. Observing the Sabbath is a rule we tend to ignore at our own peril. God’s wisdom in creation to rest on a routine basis provides refreshment for our souls as well as our bodies making us ready to face a new week.

Oklahoma recently added a law that restricts the use of the left lane to passing on a multi-lane highway. One of my pet peeves while driving is getting behind a truck who slows when going up a hill and speeds up going down when someone who apparently sets their cruise control on the speed limit is driving in the left lane right next to the truck. I feel confident the left lane drivers think they are doing nothing wrong because they are obeying the speed limit law. They, however, are setting up their fellow travelers for very dangerous circumstances particularly when the highway is full of large trucks whose loads often dictate how they drive and whose blind spots differ from those in an automobile. The result of the new law is to provide for safer highway driving.

The rule that only priest could eat the bread of the Presence established the result of elevating the bread to a more sacred status, which was overshadowed by the understanding that feeding the hungry is even more sacred.

Prayer: God, mold us into followers who understand that love lived is our most sacred gift to you. 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.