Living in the Spirit

June 19, 2020

Scripture Reading: Romans 6:1b-11
What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

My guess is that most of us are thinking more about life and death during this COVID 19 pandemic. A dear friend at my church just died of natural causes at the age of 96. He had prearranged donating his body to the Health Science Center at the University of Oklahoma, still giving even in death. He enjoyed life to the end. Played Rummikub with other seniors on Friday afternoons and played to win. While his heart may have worn out, his brain was going strong. He was a good role model.

I do take comfort in knowing that I will be with God even in death, as my friend did. I think we demonstrate our thanksgiving to God for his eternal love by living our lives to the fullest, practicing the ways Jesus modeled for us.  

Prayer: Lord, your children, once again find themselves in dire times dealing with a pandemic, rampant racism, and division that tears at the heart of a nation formed on unity. Help us to see the ways to find personal wholeness that leads to the oneness needed to foster justice. 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.