Living in the Spirit
June 27, 2018
Scripture Reading: Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.
These words of the US Revolutionary War writer Thomas Paine popped into my head as I read the above scripture following listening to the morning news.
“THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated”—Thomas Paine, The Crisis
Citizens of the United States find themselves in the middle of a Constitutional crisis where the need for due process is being challenged as well as the need for the judicial branch of our three-prong checks and balances system of governance. To a degree, we brought it on ourselves because we can be and are mesmerized by the temptation of the world particularly greed. Amos wrote about such things as did Paul. In hindsight we easily see the missteps of the Israelites Amos addressed. We recognize the challenges faced by gentiles being invited into a new way of being to whom Paul ministered. It is much harder for us to see ourselves in that same mirror.
The sad thing is our form of governance when fully supported by its citizenry works. It includes some of the same ideals Jesus taught. All people benefit from the care and concern of each other. The divide and conquer form of politics driving our country today is a disgrace to the premise of both the teachings of Jesus and the premise of our government. In both instances, we are called to work toward oneness. Reaching oneness can be a messy process. We benefit from diligently engaging in that process as our diversity is one of our major strengths. When all sides of an issue of concern are considered more feasible rules/laws result. How dear are our Constitutional rights to us?
Prayer: Lord, it feels like we are treading water without making progress and perhaps losing ground. Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us* moving us toward oneness. Amen.
*Derived from the title of the hymn, Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me by Daniel Iverson see at https://hymnary.org/text/spirit_of_the_living_god_fall_iverson