Living in the Spirit
November 16, 2021
Scripture Reading: Psalm 132:1-12, (13-18)
The Lord swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:
‘One of the sons of your body
I will set on your throne.
If your sons keep my covenant
and my decrees that I shall teach them,
their sons also, for evermore,
shall sit on your throne.’
For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his habitation:
‘This is my resting-place forever;
here I will reside, for I have desired it.
I will abundantly bless its provisions;
I will satisfy its poor with bread.
Its priests I will clothe with salvation,
and its faithful will shout for joy.
There I will cause a horn to sprout up for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.
His enemies I will clothe with disgrace,
but on him, his crown will gleam.’ –Psalm 132:11-18
The rich history of God’s people carefully carried forward in scripture is a blessing to all who read it. The stories carefully blend God’s personal relationship with each of God’s children while encompassing the oneness God desires for all creation, from loving our near neighbors to those found at the ends of the earth. Most Christians see the above scripture as foretelling the coming of Christ, God with us. The One who sees clearly by the light of God’s lamp and thus is the One we can follow without fear. His light guides us.
I have been surprised to find lexicon-driven scriptures regarding the coming of Christ before Advent. Maybe I have not been paying attention in the past. Perhaps, due to COVID, we are all anxious for good news. I grow weary of that phrase “due to COVID.” We are now being told COViD will most likely become endemic, with us forever ranked in severity somewhere between the common cold and the flu, adding another annual booster shot. Evil, too, is endemic, never going away and always being in the way to distract us from fulfilling God’s vision for all. We build up antibodies to evil by maintaining a close, loving relationship with God. We reduce the impact of evil in our world by spreading the good news of God’s love and grace provided through Jesus Christ.
Prayer: O Come, O Come Emanual and ransom the whole world. 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.