Living in the Spirit

September 2, 2023

Scripture Reading: Psalm 98:1-5
O sing to the Lord a new song,
   for he has done marvelous things.
His right hand and his holy arm
   have gained him victory.
The Lord has made known his victory;
   he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
   to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
   the victory of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
   break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
   with the lyre and the sound of melody.

I awoke this morning with good around me, and I had not realized that that had not been my norm for a while. Usually, the news tells me how many people were shot in Oklahoma City overnight, where horrible fires, hurricanes, or tornadoes are destroying homes, and Russia is bombing Ukraine, driving Ukraine to hit back, COVID-19 deaths are rising again, and child sex trafficking is rampant.  The news programs are apparently tired of bad news, too. Many always look for some good news to share. For example, this morning, I heard of the schoolteacher who worked with her community to ensure that all the children in her school had food to eat and clothing to wear. God is still working God’s purpose out, and we are each a member of God’s staff implementing God’s purpose.

Prayer: Thank you for the examples of good people doing good things toward establishing your Kingdom on earth. 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.