Living in the Spirit
August 22, 2021
Scripture Reading: John 6:56-69
Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.‘ –John 6:66-69
The parable of the Sower* comes to mind when I read the above scripture. In it Jesus quotes Isaiah, saying
“You will indeed listen, but never understand,
and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.” –Matthew 13:14b-15 (Isaiah 6:9)
Some things never change. People believed what they wanted to believe in the 8th Century BCE, the 1st Century CE, and today. The only difference is our modern means of communication provide a stressful abundance of opinions and interpretations through which we must wade. When people claim to follow the Bible, we now must discern whose understanding is correct.
Jesus’ teachings were indeed hard for some to accept. Today though, I fear, those of us who claim to be Christians are turning new practitioners away because our faith has become a contest of who owns the royalty to God’s Word, and such division is not inviting to someone in search of God. While Jesus’ teachings are challenging, thus, we may not want to follow them, but they are simple: Love God and love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Prayer: Lord, we see life as more complicated than you intended. Forgive us for not understanding your ways. Open our hearts and minds to follow Jesus’ example of love. Amen.
*See Matthew 13:1-23
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.