Living in the Spirit
November 4, 2021
Scripture Reading: Revelation 21:1-6a
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’
And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.
The word translated “dwell with” above is the Greek word skēnóō, which in English more precisely represents tabernacle and means dwelling in intimate communion with the resurrected Christ – even as He who Himself lived in unbroken communion with the Father during the days of His flesh*.
The poetic vision described above is far afield from our world today. We are more divided than I can ever remember. We are not the one people of God; Jesus longed for us to be. We cannot be the one people of God because we worship many gods we create in images we desire. If our most significant concern about the world is whether the ideal Christmas toy for our child is on one of those boats that cannot unload and thus will not be available to purchase in time for Christmas, we are in deep trouble. The toy or the microchips needed for cars could have been manufactured in the USA if we had been willing to pay our fellow citizens living wages. Instead, Our companies contracted with businesses in countries that allow low wages, child labor, and unsafe working environments.
Empires fail when they get too greedy for their own good.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we turn away from you toward the lesser gods that entice us. Open our hearts to the worth of your peace and love. Amen.
*https://biblehub.com/greek/4637.htm
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.