Living in the Spirit
September 5, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Romans 13:8-14

 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; — Romans 13:11-12

There seems to be an epidemic in our world today of people being thunderstruck. Some are so frozen by the noise of violence, economic disaster, and disharmony they are rendered unable to hear or otherwise perceive what we need to do to fix these issues. Everyone wants the problems solved without their having to make any sacrifices to make it happen. It doesn’t work that way.

The Bible is full of stories that illustrate that we have to face the consequences of our own actions.  The phrases “He did not do what was right in the sight of God” or “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord” precede reports of battles lost or people taken into captivity. This is the story line in most of the events that led up to the fall of Israel and later Judah and the resulting exile. In many instances what was “not right with God” was the worship of lesser gods.

We have few statues to which we bow in reverence but we do practice idolatry in our world today.  The love of money is high on our priorities, lust for power would run it a good competition, and self-pleasure seeking is certainly in the top ten list.

Paul admonishes us to wake up from sleep and to put on the armor of light. We are children of the living God, we do not have to rely on these lesser gods. But as children of God we are called to do what is right in the eyes of God. What is right is what is loving. Loving requires us to see through the eyes of God. Things clear up when we clean our human glasses and stop seeing the world through the film that has accumulated in our vision. Sometimes that accumulation is so great that we cannot clean it ourselves, but God can. Starting today, let us ask God for his help in creating in us clean hearts and right spirits.

Prayer:  Create in me a clean heart, O God,
                  and put a new and right spirit within me.
               Do not cast me away from your presence,
                 and do not take your holy spirit from me.
              Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
               and sustain in me a willing spirit. Amen –Psalm 51:10-12

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.