Living in the Spirit

August 14, 2020

Scripture Reading: Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.

In her later years, my mother went to the early service at her church because it was the “traditional” service. She still said to me once that she liked the new songs, but she did wish that they would sing some of the old songs occasionally. I went to a memorial service at my church yesterday, where the congregation was led in singing The Little Brown Church in the Vale. It was one of my favorite songs as a child, and I doubt that I have heard it since my childhood. The song is more sentimental than theological. I googled it and discovered it had a verse I do not remember ever singing, and we did not sing that verse at the service, but I think it was meant to be consoling comfort for her family and friends.

There, close by the church in the valley
Lies one that I loved so well
She sleeps, sweetly sleeps, ‘neath the willow
Disturb not her rest in the vale

Progress in faith is as vital as it is in all aspects of life. We do need to work toward growing in wisdom and truth. Paul talks about maturing, like children. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, (1 Corinthians 3.2) Paul, in the scripture above, assures the descendants of Abraham that God has not rejected them. If we review all of chapter 11, we learn that Paul is making a case for the inclusion of Gentiles in the faith just as they are. Remember that Christ’s followers, during Paul’s ministry, were another sect of the Jewish religion. I cannot imagine the challenge of dealing with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus had on dedicated members of the Jewish faith, much less expecting them to accept people they basically considered unclean.

Who do we identify in our world today as unclean, although we would never use that word to describe them? How much of that do we justify by our faith? I, too, love to sing the old songs, but now is a time to learn a new song, of love and acceptance of all of God’s people.

O sing to the Lord a new song;
   sing to the Lord, all the earth. Psalm 96:1

Prayer: Lord, help us all lift every voice and sing* in support of justice and mercy for all as we grow in the wisdom and truth of your love. Amen.

*From Lift Every Voice and Sing by J. Rosamond Johnson anf James Johnson

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.