Living in the Spirit

June 4, 2021

Scripture Reading:

2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. –2 Corinthians 4:16-5:1

In front of a three-quarters bookcase piece, full of books at the top, and one-quarter storage cabinet at the bottom, I sat on a low stool, searching through that lower area for something that I needed but did not find. I then started to stand up when I realized the only thing available to pull myself up was the bookcase. Although I walk my 10,000 steps six days a week and do restorative yoga every day, I have had artificial knees for 13 and three years, respectfully, and am tentative about movement. Not knowing how much pressure the bookcase could handle if I grabbed it and pulled myself to standing, I was stumped. I finally decided to put my arms out straight and stand up as I would have done doing squats when my knees were healthy, a time I can no longer remember. It worked. God bless orthopedic surgeons and tungsten knees.

That experience and the above scripture made me wonder how tentative I might be about answering God’s call to do justice, practice God’s righteousness. I am alarmed by what I see on the news, read on social media, and glean from newspapers. Today I heard of a twelve-year-old boy and a fourteen-year-old girl stealing guns and having a shoot out with the police. They learned that behavior from watching and listening to the adults in their lives. We pay a heavy price in our society for our hate and self-righteousness.

It is time that we all own responsibility for our societal corruption at all levels. We cannot do it alone, but with God’s help and guidance, we can bring about wholeness in our land.

I may be one of the few people that claim the following scripture literally, but I think it applies not only to the physical limitations of aging but to our spiritual decline as well,

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. (Hebrews 12:12-13)

Prayer: Forgive us, O Lord, for our failure to address the corruption of our society. Guide us to wholeness. 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.