Living in the Spirit

August 31, 2023

Scripture Reading: Romans 12:9-21
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Our country is in a hateful state and has been for several years. The Oklahoma City bombing of the Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995, may have been the catalyst for that attitude. We thought we were invincible when a terrorist of our own set off a bomb that killed 168 people, including 19 children.  The threat widened to foreign terrorists in the 9/11 2001 bombing in New York City, at the Pentagon in Washington D. C., and a plane perhaps heading toward the capitol was forced down in Pennsylvania.  All toll 2,996 people were killed on 9/11. The leader of those terrorists was killed in 2006, but it was only last year that we as a nation withdrew from Afghanistan, formally ending our quest for retribution. Some still think leaving that was a grave mistake. If nothing else, it affords us a new beginning, a time to reconsider how we want to shape a Beloved World Community for the future.

A good starting point is reading the above scripture calling us as Christ-Followers to love one another with mutual affection. Not just the ones who look like us or think like us but all of God’s children. The time has come to end this season of hate and open our hearts to a new and brighter season of love.

Prayer: Lord, mold us and make us after your will*. Amen.

*From the hymn Have Thine Own Way, Lord by George Coles Stebbins see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/449

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.