Living in the Spirit
October 10, 2018
Scripture Reading: Psalm 22:1-15
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our ancestors trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried, and were saved;
in you they trusted, and were not put to shame. –Psalm 22:1-5
We look very much like our ancestors in faith described by the Hebrew prophets. They were split into sides each thinking they had the corner on God. Jesus understood this when he said ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. (Matthew 12:25)
People who claim to be Christ followers need to seek the things on which we can agree and work diligently to bring those things to full fruition and let the issues that divide us lay fallow for a while. Land left fallow is allowed the opportunity to regenerate its nurturing properties. I firmly believe that many of the divisive issues would disappear if we simply did what Jesus encourage us to do in Matthew 25:
- Feed the hungry
- Provide safe water for the thirsty
- Clothe the naked
- Care for the sick
- Restore the prisoner
- Welcome the stranger
Prayer:
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together in unity and love,
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together, together in love.
We are many textures, we are many colors,
Each one diff’rent from the others.
But we are entwined with one another
In one great tapestry….
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together in unity and love,
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together, together in love.
We are diff’rent instruments, playing our own melodies,
Each one tuning to a diff’rent key.
But we are all playing in har-mon-y
In one great symphony
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together in unity and love,
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together, together in love.
A moment ago, still we did not know
Our unity, only diversity.
Now the Christ in me greets the Christ in thee
In one great family* Amen.
* Music & Lyrics by Rosemary Crow Copyright 1979