Living in the Spirit

June 7, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Psalm 33:1-12

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous.
   Praise befits the upright.
Praise the Lord with the lyre;
   make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
Sing to him a new song;
   play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts

For the word of the Lord is upright,
   and all his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice;
   the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. –Psalms 33:1-5

What is just, what is right? What does it mean to walk humbly with God? I am a strong believer in the separation of church and state. I think Jesus meant it when he said render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s. (Matthew 22:21) I worked as a government employee for 35 years and recognize the necessity of having some entity to bring order out of chaos and support people in successfully moving through the daily activities of life. In a democracy, the government is to protect individual rights while assuring that we live in a just society established by the rule of law. My experience is that the government is working at its best when it is the most boring; when potholes are fixed quickly, water is safe to drink, businesses operate within the rule of law, children are educated to become successful adults, criminals are restored to wholeness, all people have enough of the necessities of life. God’s justice and righteousness may influence governments’ justice and righteousness, but God’s justice and righteousness involve the individual’s relationship with God ruled by love. It calls us to higher ground. Being under the wings of God surpasses order and brings having love rule our lives as we are honored to walk humbly in the love of God.

Prayer: Lord, Guide us to follow you onto your higher ground. 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

June 6, 2023

Scripture Reading: Genesis 12:1-9

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’ So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on by stages towards the Negeb. –Genesis 12:4-9

Abram was apparently a successful man of some wealth when he left Ur and acquired “persons,” otherwise known as slaves, in Haron to join his company as he moved toward the land of the Canaanites. Slavery was an accepted part of the worldview in that place at that time, as was polygamy. We must realize that we create our worldview from our experiences and our heritage. As we study the Bible, we would do well to attempt to separate the worldview present when the Bible was composed and our worldview today from God’s view.  We tend to pick and choose what we are comfortable with. We, however, need to evaluate our worldview by what is right and what is wrong in God’s view.  One of the unique characteristics of the USA is that we are a mixture of varied worldviews that requires us to seek common ground for the Common Good in our democracy. My paternal great-grandfather was a Union soldier in the Civil War, hit in the head by a mini ball that eventually blinded him. I have no idea what his stance on slavery was. His worldview was that when called to serve his nation, he did. My maternal great-grandfather was a captain in the Confederate Army. Although he became a successful merchant after the war was over, the war was apparently never over for him. Still, somehow, I knew the history but was never indoctrinated into the support of slavery. It was with intentionality that my mother took the time to guide her children into loving all our neighbors as we loved ourselves, God’s worldview.

Prayer: Lord, help us recognize the difference between some of our worldviews and God’s view and help us choose God’s view. 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

June 5, 2023

Scripture Reading: Genesis 12:1-9

Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ –Genesis 12:1-3

What is God calling us to do? Each of us was created in the image of God, and all of us are called to contribute our part in making our world a Beloved Community where all have enough of the necessities of life to thrive and share the gifts and talents with which we have been bestowed. My mother was a devoted believer in serving God. Her callings changed with her age. I was not around to see her first answers to God’s call. As an adult, she served as a Deaconess in the Methodist church in West Virginia during the Depression. After she married, she set an example for her children. She taught school, was always active in her church, serving on boards and committees, teaching Sunday School, and leading in women’s groups. She sent cards to the lonely, sick, and grieving throughout her life. Even in her final year, when she was bedfast and could no longer send cards, she practiced intercessory prayer.

What Is God calling us to do?

Prayer: Lord, make clear to each of your followers our calling as you did for Abram. 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

June 4, 2023

Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

I am with you always, to the end of the age. Funny how I remember songs l sang in church 70 years ago as a child that are still stored somewhere in my brain. I thought the title of the following one was Never Alone, but apparently, the title is I’ve Seen the Lightning Flashing. No one knows who wrote it or when it was written. It probably arose from the cotton fields of slavery and was passed down through the generations.

I’ve seen the lightning flashing
And heard the thunder roll,
I’ve felt sin’s breakers dashing,
which tried to conquer my soul;
I’ve heard the voice of my Savior,
He bid me still fight on:
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone.

Refrain:
No, never alone,
No, never alone;
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone:
No, never alone,
No, never alone:
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone*.

I remember that for a couple of months, after my mother died, it felt like my prayers were not getting past the ceiling of my room. I felt alone, but I was not. Eventually, I prayed and knew I was heard and had been heard all along. God understands grief. God also understands the times we separate ourselves from God because we are wrestling with ourselves over what is right and what is wrong and are tempted to believe that what is wrong is right. We must remember that we never have those battles alone.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the constancy of your presence. Open our hearts and minds to your presence as we battle with what is justice. Amen.

*The First Verse and Chorus of I’ve Seen the Lightning Flashing, see at https://hymnary.org/text/ive_seen_the_lightning_flashing

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

June 3, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

We are commanded to obey everything that Jesus commanded. Mark 12:30-31 records him as saying:

you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’

Easy to say, hard to do. Jesus did not leave us helpless. He left us with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, which I perceive as being a breakdown of Benjamin Franklin’s saying that prevention is worth a pound of cure. It tells us how to avoid getting caught up in the sins outlined in The Ten Commandments in the first place.  His parables give us examples to help us perhaps see ourselves outside ourselves. The stories of his own acts of love teach us the art of selfless service: healing, forgiving, and encouraging. I love the story of his encounter with the Syrophoenician woman, where he illustrates his recognizing his bigotry and letting it go.  (See Mark 7:24-30) He truly was fully human and fully divine, and we, too, can overcome our shortcomings because he came not only as an example but endowed us with his Spirit to help us on our journey.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for coming among us and leaving your legacy to guide us. 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

June 2, 2023

Scripture Reading:

2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

Agree with one another. My book club is reading Search by Michelle Huneven for Our June meeting. It is the story of a Universal Unitarian Church Search Committee assigned to select a new minister to recommend to the congregation. I am not a member of that group, and I must say it was enlightening to know that people are just people in similar situations. I have served on a selection committee. I probably got a more unbiased view from seeing the process through a slightly different lens. I learned from my experience to pay close attention to how references word their comments. One does not want to understand what the reference was politely trying to say when a few months after the hire, one has that Aha! moment where one recognizes what the reference was trying to say.

We live in a very divide-and-conquer world. How do we find a way to agree with one another? First and hardest, we must recognize the worth of everyone we deal with. Hear the actual words others may be saying and try to understand why they are taking their stance. Try to help them to understand the basis of your viewpoint.  I am a retired social worker and clergy female who grew up on a farm. My worldview is markedly different from others. Varied insights make democracies stronger. Learning how to communicate in sharing and receiving information for decision-making is the key to making our democracy better.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the patience and the fortitude to improve the world in which we live. 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.

June 1, 2023

Living in the Spirit

Scripture Reading:

2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

Put things in order. Why do things get out of order? I have lived in the same house for over 40 years. I do not consider myself a hoarder, but over that many years, we just collect stuff until there is no longer any place to store new stuff.  I have finally recognized that the problem needs to be addressed. What I have discovered is that as I sort through stuff, I do toss some things in the trash or donate things to organizations that distribute things to people in need. However, I just stack some things in another place and think I will decide what to do with those things later.  When I read the above scripture, I wondered how much I run my spiritual life in the same way. How do we put our spiritual life in order and deal with those things we are not ready to tackle?

First, I think there are issues that we might need to set aside for a time to gain a clearer understanding. Second, I must confess there are some things I do not feel comfortable doing that I need to do. Regular communion with God is the best way to get a second opinion on our service to God. Is my reticence from God or me? The best thing about God is that the Lord will work with us to correct our route even when we take a wrong path. It is important that we learn from all our mistakes.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your patience with me and thank you for your impatience with me that gives me the impetus to do what is right even when I am hesitant to try. 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

May 31, 2023

Scripture Reading: Psalm 8
O Lord, our Sovereign,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
   Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
   to silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
   the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
   mortals that you care for them?

Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
   and crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
   you have put all things under their feet,
all sheep and oxen,
   and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
   whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Sovereign,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth!

This scripture should be required reading at least once a week, but definitely when we have had a bad day or a time of being challenged to be the best persons we were created to be. It is important that when we read this, we accept what it teaches and that it applies to all people. Our world is so divided, and we seem to get so distracted by issues that have little or no impact on our lives but can be very painful to others. We do not need to be better than anyone to be the person God created us to be. We are called to love everyone, not judge them.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for showing us how to love one another and to 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.

Living in the Spirit

May 30, 2023

Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:1-2:4a

Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’
So God created humankind in his image,
   in the image of God he created them;
   male and female he created them.
God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. –Genesis 1:26-31

How do we interpret the meaning of the phrase to have dominion over it? Is that a license to do whatever fits our fancy, or does it mean taking responsibility for the well-being over which we have been given dominion? We, humans, are often drawn to the short-term immediate pleasures without regard for long-term ramifications. It seems we may finally understand that whoever created this earth knew what they were doing. For example, I am hearing more and more concerns being expressed about the ramifications of the loss of bees on our environment. Much of the dust from the Dust Bowl was the result of straight-row planting and harvesting of crops designed to maximize the amount harvested. Those straight rows produced more crops but made it easier for the strong winds to whisk the topsoil away in the flat lands of the Great Plains. Planting trees to block the winds from scalping the plains helped, as did contour planting.

We are experiencing grave outcomes from climate change. We need to decide how we care for the earth for the benefit of all.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the wisdom to discern the right actions to take to care for the earth and all that depends on it for life. 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

May 29, 2023

Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:1-2:4a

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. –Genesis 1:1-5

People of modernity and even earlier have had trouble accepting the description of creation in Genesis. They are usually looking for science, not guidance for living. On the other hand, some read it as science and may miss the guidance for living. I picture creation being something like an artist walking up to a block of marble, envisioning the statue of David, and chipping it into reality.  That is the short story. More than one attempt was made to create a likeness of David out of the block of marble, and parts of the block were damaged in that process. Michelangelo, the artist who finally completed the statue, had to work around the flaws in the marble block.

God turned chaos into order, recognizing the need for diversity of wind and water, light and dark with differing purposes, all essential. The Lord created humans to oversee God’s beloved creation and recognized for that to happen, God trusted us humans enough to make us in God’s image and gave us the responsibility and free will to care for the earth and all that is within it. We occasionally get it wrong, like the artist first assigned to create the statue of David, but with God’s patient help, we can get it right even in our imperfections.

Prayer: Guide us, O Lord, as we care for your creation. 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.