Living in the Spirit
October 13, 2021
Scripture Reading: Psalm 91:9-16
Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your dwelling-place,
no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.
Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble,
I will rescue them and honor them.
With long life I will satisfy them,
and show them my salvation.
God is dependable. We who call ourselves Christian have failed to take the message in this Psalm to the ends of the earth. The percentage of people who identify as Christian in the U.S.A. is on a freefall. Many of those who identify as Christian treat it only as a positive item to add to their resume’. Many of our European counterparts recognize the church as a place for Baptism, Weddings, and Funerals. In the U.S.A., these folks are also identified as Christmas and Easter attenders. The downturn started in the 1960s but has increased at a rapid rate in the 21st Century. Millennials are particularly turned off by what I think they perceive as a lack of substance. When people achieve wealth and power, they no longer feel they need a refuge or a guard or deliverance—they no longer need God. The prophet Amos ungraciously described the women of Israel as the cows of Bashan when he confronted the Israelites about their failure to follow God.
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan
who are on Mount Samaria,
who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,
who say to their husbands, ‘Bring something to drink!’ –Amos 4:1
Amos brought his warnings around 800 BC. Assyrians invaded Israel in 732 BC, and the ten tribes that made up Israel were dispersed across the world.
What I just described is a typical pattern among empires throughout history. We need to ask ourselves if we want to break that cycle and turn back to the inclusive God who loves all and provided in creation enough for all to flourish.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we think we have outgrown you or reached a point of development where we attempt to define you in our desired image. Guide us to love like you, practicing your righteousness and justice. 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.