Living in the Spirit
November 19, 2015

Scripture Reading: Revelation 1:4b-8

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: 

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. 

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. –Revelation 1:4-6

Beautiful words these, ones we need to hear and breathe into our inmost being. We serve a God of grace and peace. A God who does not cower from terror or fear the terrorist but extends his love to all. I think God especially cares for those innocents caught between the warring factions of the world. We call them refugees. According to the book of Matthew, Jesus and his family were refugees fleeing from the terror of Herod to Egypt after his birth. I wonder what would have happened to him had they been turned away.

The Lord has made us to be a kingdom ruled by love. We who live in Oklahoma City know only too well terrorist can be homegrown and can be extremist Christians. Our overreacting to the terror that is occurring across our world feeds the terrorist sense of control and power. No one wants to go to a concert looking constantly over their shoulder looking for the menace that might be present. No one wants to be blown up on the street or lose loved ones in such a manner. These are hard times. Times that test our faith and times that challenge our hope for a better world but they are not times to give up on God or God’s plan for us to be the Body of Christ in the world today. These are the very times Jesus came to earth to address through the kingdom he fostered and that is us.

I think it is important to remember that Jesus was willing to die for what he lived, and in so doing conquered the world.

I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!’ (John 16:33)

Prayer: Lord, strengthen our week knees for such a times as these. 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 American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.