Living in the Spirit
October 20, 2015

Scripture Reading: Job 42:1-6, 10-17

And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then there came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house; they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him; and each of them gave him a piece of money and a gold ring. –Job 42:10-11

Does God bring evil upon any of his children? Job is a play, so, I suppose, the writer may take some poetic license, but the question is raised: are people pawns in the battle between good and evil? There is no question, it sure feels like it sometimes. Why are innocent people caught in the crossfires of gang warfare? Why do we assume violence is the best path to peace? Why are children drowning as they are swept from their parents arms when escaping from war or starvation? Where is God in all the chaos in our world today?

I do not question God’s presence in all places at all times. I also believe God sometimes intervenes in miraculous ways we cannot explain, but I know that God implanted God’s image in each of the people of creation. Once we accept we are a leaf connected to that vine together and own that relationship with God, we are compelled to become our part of the solution.

This idea first came to my mind while reading the last part of Acts 1 when the disciples decided it was time for them to get about the business of doing what Jesus had called them to do. It is rather a boring segment of the Bible rather like reading the minutes to a meeting. The disciples elect Mathias to replace Judas. Chapter 2 is an abrupt and amazing transition from that meeting. Rushing winds and tongues of fire are experienced by those present filling them with the Holy Spirit. We call it the birth of the church. I wonder, if God was just waiting for the disciples to recover from their grief and remember whose they really were and what they were put on this earth to do.

Do we realize whose we are and what our mission is?

Prayer: Lord, you commanded us to love God and love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Let your rushing winds pass among us today enabling our love for such a time as this. 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.