Living in the Spirit
May 26, 2016
Scripture Reading: Galatians 1:1-12
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! –Galatians 1:6-8
If we really analyzed our ways of being carefully, I think we would find it is easier to follow Christ than to not follow Christ. Our wholeness was developed to exist within a relationship with God. If we accept that Jesus showed us the way of God than our whole being should be in tune when we get in step with Jesus. Life becomes difficult when we try to find our own way in the darkness. Or when we are so caught up in the things of the world we just cannot let them go, when,they do not fit well with God’s ways. We thus begin to work really hard at creating a god in the image we want God to be, resulting in the loss of part of ourselves.
Some of the Christians in Galatia had apparently reached this threshold of faith development when Paul wrote to them. He certainly could have written the same lesson to us today. It is heartbreaking to see what is being done in the name of God that does not seem to be based in loving like Jesus loves. Power and privilege are charming teases to our souls and the love of money still remains the root of all evil.
If we are tired of being caught in such a rat race, we need to just let it go and be whole with God. When we find we just cannot “let it go”, we need to hold on tightly to God’s grace as God can enable the release of all things that are damaging to our souls.
Prayer: Lord, we are all tempted at times to turn back from your gracious love and test the waters of the world. Help us turn our faces to you and learn that your yoke is indeed easy*. Amen.
*See Matthew 11:30
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.