Living in the Spirit

July 7, 2020

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 55:10-13
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
   and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
   giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
   it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
   and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
For you shall go out in joy,
   and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
   shall burst into song,
   and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
   instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,
   for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Sharing one’s thoughts in either the spoken or written word makes one vulnerable. Ecclesiastes 11:1 tells us to Send out your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will get it back. I can read this in a couple of ways. If I say or write something, I own it. It, however, also means that we must invest ourselves if we want to shape a quality world in which to live. The challenge is to discern what a quality world for all of the world’s populations is? Whether we like it or not, that requires us to live in community striving for oneness.

Oneness does not mean sameness. Oneness recognizes that each of us is unique and has special skills and talents that need to be developed entirely in inclusiveness with others.  When we perfect oneness we shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace.

 The last few lines of the above scripture set forth the conclusions of our efforts of working together rather than being divisive. Do we want to live among thorns and briers or cypress and myrtle? Are we planting seeds of love for God and love for one another, or are we filling the world with weeds of division and discords because we are worshiping the lesser god of self-righteousness?

Prayer: Creator of all, forgive us when we fail to see the importance of sharing your love to all and working together to fulfill your vision of a world driven by shalom. 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.