Living in the Spirit
October 19, 2021
Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-9
For thus says the Lord:
Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘Save, O Lord, your people,
the remnant of Israel.’
See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,
and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,
among them the blind and the lame,
those with child and those in labor, together;
a great company, they shall return here.
With weeping they shall come,
and with consolations I will lead them back,
I will let them walk by brooks of water,
in a straight path in which they shall not stumble;
for I have become a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my firstborn.
I have not decided whether it is good or bad to know all the bad things are happening in our world within seconds. We can get information overload that makes us numb to crisis after crisis. Yet, being aware of world events helps us see what we were ignorant of in the past. I view with interest pictures of cargo ships backed up in the Pacific Ocean. The delivery system from abroad has gotten so overcrowded it cannot unload the vessels on time. Part of that results from not having enough truck drivers and people who offload ships. Layoffs and work stoppages caused by COVID have resulted in employees reconsidering the type of work and shifting to better-paying jobs or demanding higher pay. The real problem is while C.E.O. salaries have skyrocketed, workers’ wages have stagnated. By 2019, C.E.O. compensation grew 940% since 1978*. In 2020, top C.E.O.s earned 351 times more than the typical worker**.
In the scripture above, Jeremiah has seen the plight of his people and is assuring them that God will restore them to wholeness. I believe that is the case today. God is working God’s purpose out. Therefore, we as God’s followers are called to do our part for all people to benefit from the love of God where they can walk by brooks of clean water along straight paths in a world where justice prevails.
Prayer: Lord, help us not miss the parts of our world that are curving off your path. Guide us in our advocacy for your justice. Amen.
*https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-compensation-2018/
**https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/15/in-2020-top-ceos-earned-351-times-more-than-the-typical-worker.html
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.
In the scripture above, Jeremiah has seen the plight of his people and is assuring them that God will restore them to wholeness. I believe that is the case today. God is working God’s purpose out. Therefore, we as God’s followers are called to do our part for all people to benefit from the love of God where they can walk by brooks of clean water along straight paths in a world where justice prevails.
Prayer: Lord, help us not miss the parts of our world that are curving off your path. Guide us in our advocacy for your justice. Amen.
*https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-compensation-2018/
**https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/15/in-2020-top-ceos-earned-351-times-more-than-the-typical-worker.html
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.