Scripture – 1 John 5:1-6 NRSVUE https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+5%3A1-6+&version=NRSVUE
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4 for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. 5 Who is it who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.
From Rev. Heather Leffler
From the beginning God created us to be in relationship with God, each other and the earth. When the Holy One sent Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. This time helped them let go of the experience of being slaves and become a people. On Mount Sinai Moses received the 10 commandments which invited the people into loving relationship with God and each other. Jesus taught that the commandments and all the laws which grew out of them could be summed up in two – Love the Lord you God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbour as yourself. The Jewish rabbis summed up all the commandments in – do not steal.
Like all parents, longing the best for everyone, God gave commandments not to be burdensome but to help us grow into loving relationships with God and each other. The world tries to separate us according to status, wealth, politics, education, religion, race, gender, sexuality, age and more. We conquer the world when instead of being divided we come together in love to work for peace, justice, reconciliation and to care for this beautiful planet God created for us. May it be so.
Contemplation and Conversation
How does seeing God as your parent change how you respond to the people you meet?
Prayer
Sustaining God, we give you thanks for the spiritual sustenance
that you provided to the Israelites in the desert.
Help us to draw on your nourishment today
as we seek to grow in deeper relationship
with you and with each other. Amen.
Rockwood Stone Worship
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