Living in the Spirit
Living in the Spirit
September 27, 2022
Scripture Reading:
O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not listen?
Or cry to you ‘Violence!’
and you will not save?
Why do you make me see wrongdoing
and look at trouble?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
So the law becomes slack|
and justice never prevails.
The wicked surround the righteous—
therefore judgment comes forth perverted.
Then the Lord answered me and said:
Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so that a runner may read it.
For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
it speaks of the end, and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
it will surely come, it will not delay.
Look at the proud!
Their spirit is not right in them,
but the righteous live by their faith. –Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:2-4
What we fail to understand is that God expects us to do our part in providing for the Common Good among all people. The first line of this scripture calls for help, but I fear we want God to wave a magic wand and make everything the way we want life to be. There are many problems with this way of thinking, but the major one is that we all have different perceptions of what that way should be. God expects us to work together to find common ground in defining and providing for the Common Good as we seek justice, act kindly, and walk humbly with our Lord (See Micah 6:8) The hymn Called as partners in Christ’s service* addresses this well.
Prayer: Lord, help us respond with a deep commitment to fulfilling your chosen end. Amen.
*See at https://digitalsongsandhymns.com/songs/6113
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.