For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ--if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:14-17
"The creation of the world did not take place once and for all time, but takes place every day."
Samuel Beckett, "Proust," 20th century
Today's reflection by Professor Steven Lewis, Bangor Theological Seminary is found at Weekly Seeds, published by the United Church of Christ
Pentecost Sunday, is a fitting reminder that we are embodied people through whom the Divine Spirit of God dwells. In chapter 8 of Romans, Paul outlined his understanding of life that is led by the Spirit. He highlighted the connection between the Spirit of God and being the children of God, the freedom found in Jesus and the power of the Spirit to transform both people and creation.
What is our connection to creation and what exactly is our responsibility? First, we may consider that the same Spirit that hovered over the waters as the formless earth took shape is the Spirit that dwells within us. The Spirit that God breathed into the first human is also within us. The Spirit that inspired the poetry of the psalmists, the Spirit that descended at Pentecost is the same Spirit that dwells within us. Second, Paul suggested, "creation awaited with eager longing" for the children of God to awaken to the reality that creation also needs to be freed. We have so much more capacity to change the world than we realize, not because of our intelligence, not from our commitment to justice, but from the Spirit that inspires our compassion, stimulates our imaginations, and fills us with the assurance that we are truly the children of God with many rights and responsibilities. The implication of this actuality is too often ignored when in reality the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is central to our Christianity. Our commitment to care for the planet, environmental justice, feeding the hungry, assisting the sick, and speaking truth to the world all flow from the fact that we are the children of God. We have been given the authority to forgive sins or to retain sin because we have received the Holy Spirit (John 20:22-23). We have been given the power to bind or loose things on earth and in heaven. We have been given the keys to the kingdom because we are the children of God (Matt 16:19). Will we embrace these realities and live into the responsibilities that they imply? It is clear that the future of the planet is in our hands. Beyond the debates of climate change, global warming, and environment responsibility, lies the reality that we are the children of God, empowered by the Spirit of God to care for, to restore, and yes, even to create environments that honor the Creator.
Prayer for Pentecost
Living God, you have created all that is. Send forth your Spirit to renew and restore us, that we may proclaim your good news in ways and words that all will understand and believe. Amen.