Living in the Spirit

August 3, 2021

Scripture Reading:
1 Kings 19:4-8

But [Elijah] himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, ‘Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.’ He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.

I am deeply concerned about many issues facing our nation. The pandemic has to be at the top of the list. I had just started to not wear a mask in places where I know everyone has received the vaccine. Now I understand that even if I do not get sick I can carry the disease to others. I walked up to a store today and saw a sign asking customers to wear masks, returning to my car to get one, I wondered how much longer is this going to continue?

Also, I recognize that assuring all who work earn a living wage would solve many issues in our society. I have been working with others to reach for that reality by raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. In all honesty that is only a beginning step toward addressing the poverty that is ravaging our nation, but it is an important step. What we who are trying to champion this goal are finding is that many do not care. One of my US Senators locked the elevator to his office and the door at the top of the stairs leaving a sign that said they were not seeing visitors. I thought he was supposed to represent us.

My discouragement is not as serious as Elijah’s was, but I have experienced a hint of what he felt. I thank God for the angels with whom I work who lift my spirits when I get down. I also think it is even more important in times like these that we deepen our prayer relationship with the Lord for indeed his yoke is easy and his burden is light* when we are aligned with his vision of a world ruled by love.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the strength to champion your desires for all your people. Keep us on the right path in all we do. Amen.

*Matthew 11:30

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.