Living in the Spirit
August 15, 2021
Scripture Reading:
John 6:51-58
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.’
The word love does not appear in this scripture, but the scripture is all about love. God’s love for each person was made real in the gift of God’s son to live among us and teach us in word and deed about how much God cares for us and wants the very best for us. But, unfortunately, the religious leaders of the day were so caught up in their desires for power and control and maintaining the status quo; they could not recognize love when they saw it. We are no different today.
Covid is making us all a little crazy. We people of the USA like to be in control, as do viruses. Thus, we are having all kinds of responses to Covid’s ravages. Some are in total denial. Others are hibernating until it is gone. Most people are doing the best they can to care for themselves and others by trying to keep up with the moving target the virus is tossing at them. This week, I lost a co-worker, a friend who had done all the recommended right things and still succumbed to the disease. He did have other medical conditions that probably made him more vulnerable. There is no rhyme or reason to understand why one is taken, and others are not. It does rain on the just and the unjust*. Saying those things does not help.
What does help is knowing that God is with us no matter what and walks through the shadow of death with us. We are fed daily with the Bread of Life that nourishes our spirits to withstand the challenges of life and stand with those dealing with loss and suffering, following God’s example of walking with us always.
Prayer:
Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways;
reclothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence, praise**. Amen.
*Matthew 5:45
**First verse of Dear Lord and Father of mankind by John Greenleaf Whitter see at https://hymnary.org/text/dear_lord_and_father_of_mankind
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.