Living in the Spirit

November 13, 2020

Scripture Reading:
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, ‘There is peace and security’, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

When the sun went down each evening in very cold conditions recently, I spent eight days rolled like a cocooned in various blankets and afghans in total darkness during and after a rare October ice storm. Felled trees ripped the electric lines off my house and even shut down the streetlights. I lost all internet connection, too. I did have a flashlight and an ample supply of ready to eat food. Every few years we have an ice storm in January, but I do not remember any that were this bad. I was not afraid, that surprised me. I still had a cell phone which I had to recharge daily in my car. I was stunned, perhaps a bit in shock. We Oklahomans will remember 2020 for COVID and the election but perhaps, also because of the ice storm of all ice storms in October.

Darkness came for our nation on 911 and I sense that 20 years later we are still recovering from the vulnerability it established in our lives. It is not unlike the vulnerability in our students’ lives as our history of school shootings hangs over their heads.

How do we live as people of the light in times when the world goes dark? First, we must intentionally strive for spiritual wholeness in our relationship with God. It is a lot easier to share unusual experiences with God when God knows us well. Second, we must live in community with other people of the light. I have new neighbors across the street, I had not yet met. The first morning I was sitting in my car recharging my phone, a quiet tap on my window got my attention and a young woman smilingly offered me a protein bar. She brought new light into my life. And in the meantime, between times of darkness, we must reach out to others to share the light of Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Thank you Lord, for the light of your love that brings comfort and blessings to all who find it. 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.