Living in the Spirit

July 5, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another,
“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
   we wailed, and you did not mourn.”

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ –Matthew 11:`6-19, 28-30

Good unites, includes, is equitable, and uplifts. Evil divides, excludes, discriminates, and oppresses. We have a choice of whether to do good or to do evil. Most likely, we stir evil and good together, some more some less, until we cannot tell where one begins and the other ends. We pick our sins primarily based on what is culturally acceptable rather than what God sets forth as God’s ways. Buying elections and cheating on our taxes is the American way. Being the wrong color in possession of a small amount of drugs could send you to prison for 20 years.

I am weary and carrying a heavy burden as I watch the battle for the soul of our country, even the whole world. I fall back on Micah 6:8, what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? I am far from perfect at it, but I turn to it when making choices. Jesus, however, sums it up nicely when he says his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. When all the world does justice, loves kindness, and walks humbly with God, our load will be lifted. Our call is to make doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God the reality across the globe.

Prayer: Lord, restore our souls as we strive to realize your Kingdom throughout our world. 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.