Living in the Spirit

July 20, 2023

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 44:6-8
Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel
   and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
I am the first and I am the last;
   besides me there is no god.
Who is like me? Let them proclaim it,
   let them declare and set it forth before me.
Who has announced from of old the things to come?
   Let them tell us what is yet to be.
Do not fear, or be afraid;
   have I not told you from of old and declared it?
   You are my witnesses!
Is there any god besides me?
   There is no other rock; I know not one.

God is still God, but the world we live in is changing. God is still God, and we are responsible for following God’s lead as we enter this changing world.   Climate change may be the best example of our new way of being. We kept our heads in the sand as long as we were making money on the actions that were creating climate change. Eventually, we realized there may be something wrong and started recycling, making the simplest responses we could to quell the coming storm. Each evening this week, I have watched on the news highways buckling under out-of-control flooding, reports of children being swept away, and temperatures breaking all kinds of records worldwide. We pay a high price for our greed.

God is still God. God still loves us and wants the very best for all God’s children. God has shown us the way by giving us a Savior that models how we are to live in the new world God desires for us, the Kingdom of God, The Beloved Community.  The idea of our living in such a way that all of God’s children have enough in a safe and welcoming world is as old as time. It is time to revisit building the Beloved Community and practice Christ’s teaching.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for getting so caught up in the ways of the world that we forget the ways of the Beloved Community. Turn us around and guide us as we work toward the Kingdom of God. 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.