Living in the Spirit

June 22, 2022

Scripture Reading: Psalm 16

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord;
   I have no good apart from you.’

As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
   in whom is all my delight.

Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;
   their drink-offerings of blood I will not pour out
   or take their names upon my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
   you hold my lot.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
   I have a goodly heritage.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
   in the night also my heart instructs me.
I keep the Lord always before me;
   because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices
   my body also rests secure.
For you do not give me up to Sheol,
   or let your faithful one see the Pit.

You show me the path of life.
   In your presence there is fullness of joy;
   in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

I fear our world thinks we are too sophisticated for idol worship. Our idols are not statues. We worship things like greed and power. We measure our worth by comparing ourselves to others and labeling them as lower than us because of the color of their skin or who they love discounting the fact that all were created by God which supersedes any measure of worth we might follow. There is no way to be better than anyone else no matter how hard we try. Let us turn away from the bigotry we practice and intentionally work to truly love ourselves so we can love our neighbors.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving us as our creator and helping us love all others as you love us. 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.