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Hope Springs Forth
Throughout the year, we have continued to celebrate the 90th anniversary of The Upper Room daily Read More
David E. Rainey | Read Ephesians 5:18-20
Be filled with the Spirit,” Paul urges. In today’s passage he recommends one specific way by which people of faith can be filled: “Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves.”
The Methodist movement is deeply rooted in singing, of course. Charles Wesley is credited with writing 6500 hymns,...
“Through all the tumult and the strife, / I hear that music ringing. / It finds an echo in my soul. / How can I keep from singing?” (Robert Lowry, 1868). Amen.
If you could ask God for one thing, what would it be? God offered this chance to Solomon, and the king asked for wisdom to rule God’s people well. God honored this request by giving Solomon many other gifts too, as long as the king followed God’s ways. The psalmist tells us that wisdom begins with understanding who we are and who God is. Ephesians addresses practical implications of wise living: follow the will of the Lord, be filled with the Spirit, encourage one another, and be grateful to God. The Gospel passage continues Jesus’ metaphorical description of himself as the Bread of Heaven. Here Jesus anticipates the sacrament of Communion, in which we partake of his body and blood by faith.
Read 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14. Do you hesitate to ask God to show you your call? Why?
Read Psalm 111. Where have you seen God’s faithful and just actions in your life? In the world?
Read Ephesians 5:15-20. How do you live wisely and make the most of the time?
Read John 6:51-58. What is the significance of Holy Communion in your life of faith? How has your understanding of this sacrament changed over time?
Respond by posting a prayer.
