Monday, May 24, 2010

On All Flesh...

SCRIPTURE

Joel 2:18-29 (NRSV)

God's spirit poured out

Then the Lord became jealous for his land,
and had pity on his people.
In response to his people the Lord said:
I am sending you
grain, wine, and oil,
and you will be satisfied;
and I will no more make you
a mockery among the nations.

I will remove the northern army far from you,
and drive it into a parched and desolate land,
its front into the eastern sea,
and its rear into the western sea;
its stench and foul smell will rise up.
Surely he has done great things!

Do not fear, O soil;
be glad and rejoice,
for the Lord has done great things!
Do not fear, you animals of the field,
for the pastures of the wilderness are green;
the tree bears its fruit,
the fig tree and vine give their full yield.
O children of Zion, be glad
and rejoice in the Lord your God;
for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
he has poured down for you abundant rain,
the early and the later rain, as before.
The threshing floors shall be full of grain,
the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

I will repay you for the years
that the swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
my great army, which I sent against you.

You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.
You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other.
And my people shall never again
be put to shame.

Then afterward
I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
Even on the male and female slaves,
in those days, I will pour out my spirit.


DEVOTION

Yesterday we celebrated Pentecost, or the coming of the Holy Spirit.

I am so glad that the Spirit is the great equalizer.

In today's reading Joel prophesies about the coming of the Holy Spirit and upturning of the social order. Joel 2 says, "
I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit.

Isn't it wonderful that God's Spirit is for men and women, old and young, male and female, slave and free, rich and poor?

God is no respecter of persons! God is willing to pour out Power and Spirit on all flesh without regard to any defining characteristic!

I am thrilled to serve a God like this. I can't wait for the coming of the Kingdom of Love where all --isms (e.g., racism, classism, sexism, etc) will be banished and all will be--and feel--truly equal in God's sight.

That's going to be a great day! Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Let us pray:

Oh God! Please pour out your Spirit on me. I need more of you and less of me. Please help me to show forth your Love to others and to treat all of your children equally. I love you and I ask you to help me to love others. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaLta



No comments:

Post a Comment