Living in the Spirit

October 16, 2023

Scripture Reading: Exodus 33:12-23
Moses said to the Lord, ‘See, you have said to me, “Bring up this people”; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, “I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.” Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.’ He said, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ And he said to him, ‘If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favors in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.’

The Lord said to Moses, ‘I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.’ Moses said, ‘Show me your glory, I pray.’ And he said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, “The Lord”; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But’, he said, ‘you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.’ And the Lord continued, ‘See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.’

As I read this, I wondered how I must sound to God when I pray because much of my praying is routine, asking God’s blessings on my family, remembering friends having health problems, and thus sharing my concerns about things that God already knows. What I am really delving into is what my response should be to my concerns. Beyond that, I, too, like Moses, need guidance and understanding.

Paul offers us help on prayer in Romans 8:26-27 when he writes:

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Perhaps I need to add more time to my prayers in listening to God’s responses to me.

Prayer: Lord, clear the clutter I build up in my mind so that I can take in more clearly your discourse with me. 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.

Living in the Spirit

October 15, 2023

Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:1-14
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’

Ragweed and my super-sensitive sinus membranes do not mix well. Thus, at this time of the year, I am one of the few people who wait for a hard freeze with great anticipation. Why would I even consider rushing out to rescue a vase full of ragweed and bring it into my home to save it from freezing? The same is true for our decision to follow Jesus Christ. We are renewed in Christ and must let go of all those things that separate us from God.  In the above parable, the wedding robe represents the man’s new way of being. When asked why he did not come dressed appropriately, he is described as being speechless. He seemed to have been going with the crowd until he discovered something more would be expected of him. Being separated from God is a very dark place to be.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for being our light to see the best ways to live in your love. Help us keep our eyes on your example to follow.  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.

Living in the Spirit

October 14, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 22:1-14
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’

The Bible is very violent. It teaches loving our neighbors, but stories like the one above give credence to Israel’s goal to annihilate Gasa. While the terrorists in Gasa must be controlled, what cost must be paid by the innocent Israelis and Palestinians who are being maimed and slaughtered and whose homes are being destroyed? How, indeed, do we answer God’s call to recognize all people as children of God in times of war? President Biden pleaded with all sides of the wars in Ukraine and Israel to do battle in the accepted rules of war, but how do we take the next steps to end the need for war? We are called to a very challenging mission. We are called to deliver to the whole world a better way of being ruled by love and mutual respect. We will never end wars or gunfights on our streets unless we can establish in the minds of all people that they are of worth as children of God and have gifts to share that are needed.

Prayer: Lord, I have been taught that all things are possible through you. (Matthew 19:26) still, our world seems to be spinning out of control. Grant us the strength to live into that reality as we serve in your name. 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.

Living in the Spirit

October 13, 2023

Scripture Reading: Philippians 4:1-9
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Paul closes his letters with encouragement. We all need a lot of encouragement right now as the world is in chaos. How do we, whom God has called to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, deal with such chaos? Paul challenges two women, Eudia and Synthche, to get their act together because, in such a world as we live, there is not time to mess with petty quarrels. I think many of our disputes are tied to the last half of God’s commandment. We cannot love our neighbors if we do not love ourselves; we do not recognize ourselves as people of worth. Sometimes, we end up putting others down to enhance our worth. All people are made in the image of God, and thus, all people are people of worth. Sometimes, the best way we can help others is to help them love themselves. They may need to be guided through understanding that whatever may have happened in the past, God can heal our broken self-images.

Prayer: Lord, heal our brokenness so we can love our neighbors as we love ourselves. 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.

October 12, 2023

Scripture Reading: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
   He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
   he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
   for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
   they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
   my whole life long.

I grew up on a farm, learning where our food originated early in life. Chickens had to be killed to have chicken legs for dinner. Cows had to be milked, tomatoes had to be picked after they had been carefully planted, watered, and the land around them weeded. I jokingly tell people I was put in charge of chickens when I was five years old, but it is true. I was responsible for feeding and watering them, gathering their eggs, and locking the door to our hen house when they all went into roost for the night so the coyotes would not eat them. I was the youngest in my family. Everybody had their chores based on their age and abilities. I have also lied down in green pastures and visited with God.

I have lived in cities for most of my life since I was 18 and entered college.  I morphed easily into becoming a city person, but I still have the imprint of rural living on my soul. Most of my immediate family either live on farms or in small rural towns, which keeps me honest about my upbringing.  Just as Psalm 23 took me back to my days of lying in our pasture and studying the blue sky or, at night, all the stars in the sky. I miss stars that are too far above city lights to see.

I am not sure what lessons Psalm 23 has for those who have never experienced the life of one caring for animals. The one thing I can share with you is the constant care shepherds have to provide for their sheep. There are no days off unless someone else is called to take the shepherd’s place. There are no city lights to show the way in the dark. One must put their faith in God when no light is in sight.

Since I have many more years of city experience, however, I have gained additional insights. Christ called us all to be shepherds for the lost and the hungry. They pepper the streets of most cities. We cannot perform that task unless we learn to live and work in the light of God.

Prayer: Lord, bless us with the ability to answer your call to let your love flow through us to others. 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.

Living in the Spirit

October 11, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 25:1-9

O Lord, you are my God;
   I will exalt you, I will praise your name;
for you have done wonderful things,
   plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
For you have made the city a heap,
   the fortified city a ruin;
the palace of aliens is a city no more,
   it will never be rebuilt.
Therefore strong peoples will glorify you;
   cities of ruthless nations will fear you.
For you have been a refuge to the poor,
   a refuge to the needy in their distress,
   a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat.
When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm,
   the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place,
you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds;
   the song of the ruthless was stilled. –Isaiah 25:1-5

I just heard the famous quote attributed to Winston Churchill: History is written by the victors to describe the complexities of the fighting between Israel and Hamas. Churchill’s quote cries out for looking at history from all sides if we are to end the strife in our world and fully engage the Beloved Community.

There are indeed ancient records to support that reality on both sides of this issue. There is some pretty strong evidence that parental trauma, like extreme stress, alters how genes are passed down*.  The Seventh Generation Principle is based on an ancient Haudenosaunee (Iroquois)** philosophy that our decisions today should result in a sustainable world seven generations into the future. While our ancient ancestors may not have envisioned DNA, they understood its power. There is truth in the need to learn from history. That truth requires us to seek to understand all the complexities of history from all sides and to learn from it. Our purpose should not be to learn enough to be the winner in the next battles we fight but to end the need for battles at all.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our foolish ways of seeking self-worth through self-righteousness and guide us to find righteousness and justice through living your love in all that we do. Amen.

*Karina Margit Erdelyi Medical Reviewer Juli Fraga, PsyD

**https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/seventh-generation-principle#:~:text=The%20Seventh%20Generation%20Principle%20is,seven%20generations%20into%20the%20future.

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.

Living in the Spirit

October 10, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23

Both we and our ancestors have sinned;
  we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly.
They made a calf at Horeb
   and worshipped a cast image.
They exchanged the glory of God
   for the image of an ox that eats grass.
They forgot God, their Savior,
   who had done great things in Egypt,
Wondrous works in the land of Ham,
   and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
Therefore he said he would destroy them—
   had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him,
  to turn away his wrath from destroying them.—Psalm 106:6, 19-23

This scripture gives hope, hope that for all our mistakes and misjudgments, God is still present and willing to help us if we turn away from our self-righteous ways and return to following God’s ways. God outlined for the Israelites how they were to live to be successful as they left the wilderness and established themselves in a new environment. Even while Moses received these Ten Commandments, the people had given up on God and built a golden calf to worship instead of God. Their behavior angered God and Moses, but Moses begged God to give the Israelites a second chance, and God did.

God is still doing that for us today. We, however, must recognize God’s presence and help. We must commit ourselves to changing whatever ways we live that are neither good for ourselves nor the world in which we live. God expects us to dedicate ourselves to being a part of the answer to wholeness in a broken world.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the consistency of your love. Open our hearts and lives to serve you more nearly. 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.

Living in the Spirit

October 9, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Exodus 32:1-14
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron and said to him, ‘Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ Aaron said to them, ‘Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.’ So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from them, formed it in a mold, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be a festival to the Lord.’ They rose early the next day, and offered burnt-offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel.

The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshipped it and sacrificed to it, and said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” ’ The Lord said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.’

But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, ‘O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, “It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth”? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, “I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it for ever.” ’ And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.

Our stereotype of idols is golden carvings of animals as described in this scripture or large statues of people they worship often by bringing gifts and placing them on altars. Our modern idols are far more sophisticated. Greed and lust for power are two of the leading ones. Both types of gods are addictions based on the receipt of momentary pleasure or respite from fears that are quickly gone leaving people starving for more pleasure or becoming more fearful, driving them even deeper into addiction.

How do we break this hopeless circle of longing for something that is not real? How do we accept that we were created as people of worth who will find what we long for by loving ourselves and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves? The Ten Commandments that Moses received on that mountain provide guidance on living a life ruled by love. We might start by practicing those ways of being.

Prayer: Lord, heal our souls so that we learn to live in love, not in a state of addiction to false idols. 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.

Living in the Spirit

October 8, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 21:33-46
‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’
Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures:
“The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
   and it is amazing in our eyes”?
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.’
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

Following his resurrection, Christ called on us to begin the building of the Kingdom of God on earth and continue to develop it until his return. That Kingdom is defined for us in his teaching carried forth by his disciples and recorded in the gospels now included in the book we call the Bible. It prescribes a way of being as individuals and as nations from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, through the examples described in parables, to Matthew’s description of how he will judge nations in Matthew 25. We are not only challenged to live Christ’s instructions individually, but we are also to build societies based on his way of being. Both tasks are subject to our implementation of them based on our ideals rather than Christ’s. Thus, we are tempted to turn righteousness into self-righteousness, which results in justice becoming unjust in the name of God. Those same gospels record this reality when they describe the actions of some Pharisees and other religious leaders in Jesus’s time on earth. We see this in our world today.

This might be a good time of the year as we move toward celebrating the coming of the Christ Child to review the gospels and consider how much of our faith-based efforts are shaped by Jesus’s teachings and how much is reflective of our worldview today.

Prayer: Lord, open our minds to your teachings and help us incorporate them into our whole beings. 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.

Living in the Spirit

October 7, 2023

Scripture Reading: Matthew 21:33-46
‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’

Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures:
“The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
   and it is amazing in our eyes”?

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.’

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

Sound familiar? We elect people to represent us in Congress, as is appropriate in a democracy based on a representative form of government. Yet, the more outspoken our representatives become, the more interested they are in their power and financial well-being rather than their constituent’s well-being. The purpose of a democratic form of government is to find common ground to provide for the Common Good. Some of our leaders drum up controversial issues that have little, if anything, to do with most people’s lives, often playing on prejudices that distract us from our leaders not addressing the significant issues in our lives.  

Matthew 25:31-46 tells us that God will judge the nations on how well we feed the poor, provide water for all to drink, clothe the naked, care for the sick, reform the prisoner, and welcome the stranger. Our failure to meet these basic needs and provide for the Common Good will be our downfall.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the strength to ensure that our leaders understand your vision of the Common Good and help us work to fulfill it. 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.