Galatians 5:22-25

“By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.” vss. 22-23

Sometimes there is confusion between the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit. Paul emphasizes both in his writings but there is a difference. The gifts of the Spirit are those special qualities you have that equip you for a particular calling in the Church, e.g. things like preaching, teaching, witnessing, pastoring, or evangelizing. Some have many gifts but others only a few. All the gifts are valuable in the life of the community. But the fruit of the Spirit arises from the heart of a person and bears witness to the presence of the Spirit. If you wonder if the Holy Spirit is working within you, a brief conversation with a friend could give you reassurance. Ask them if they see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in you. These are sure evidence of the Spirit’s work within you. They aren’t commandments! But they are the fruit of a life that is being lived in Christ–if they aren’t present something is wrong at the core. You’ve somehow lost your way and need to repent of your wandering ways. Of course God never stops loving you and when you turn back to that love, the Spirit returns in a heartbeat, and your whole life is transformed.

Thought for the Day: What fruits do people see in me?

Galatians 5:1, 13-21

“For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.” vs. 13

As Paul wrote to the congregations in Galatia he reminded them of what had likely been his clarion call as he traveled to their cities and proclaimed the gospel for the first time. Over and over he had likely said, “For freedom Christ has set you free. Stand firm and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” It took the Spirit to convince these Jewish exiles to understand that they were no longer bound by the commandments of the Law, that in Christ they had been set free. And now Paul writes to remind them that  freedom is a narrow path, and that they could easily fall into the trap of self-indulgence and become slaves of the flesh. We still struggle to walk that narrow path, with some falling into old legalisms like pietism, tradition, and excessive religiosity, while others dive into one or another of the cultural pleasure pits that line the paths of our cyberworld. It’s not easy to walk in the way of Jesus, and sometimes we think we might need more rules and directions. But Paul reminded the Galatians that the whole Law could be summed up in “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and his words are still all the guide we need for our life in Christ. 

Thought for the Day: What are my cultural boundaries?

Psalm 16:7-11

“You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” vs. 11

The psalmist’s testimony is a powerful declaration of what it is like to walk in the way of Jesus, the Incarnation of the Divine Word. Of course the psalmist did not know Jesus–he lived hundreds of years before him–but he did know the Divine Word. And he had been shown the path of life! And his words perfectly describe life’s blessings. As our lives remain rooted in the gospel we will experience grace upon grace in our daily journeys. We will have meaning and purpose, continually serving and loving the people we encounter, both family and strangers. “How can I help you today?” will be our constant refrain, and countless hurting folks will be blessed by our presence. And because Jesus is our companion on the Way his presence will bring us an abundance of joy, an overflowing joy that will be visible to all who know us. It’s a good life, this life that we have in Christ, and it can only get better. Even as sadness and sorrow enfold us, as they are bound to do, we have the confidence they are only shadows that can never fully obscure the light that is to come. As the psalmist put it, “In your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” And as we cling tightly to this promise, our spirits are lifted, and our joy is increased. 

Thought for the Day: What pleasures await me?

Psalm 16:1-6

“Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’” vss. 1-2

This psalmist doesn’t seem to be suffering from any dread disease or feeling any stress in his life. But he does recognize that he’s had things pretty good and would like to continue in a good relationship with God. He knows that there are some ugly choices available, ones that would mean isolation and alienation from God, and he is very happy with the life that he currently has. That description could very well describe large numbers of believers. We know that there is a Divine Presence and that life in Christ is a massive blessing. For one reason or another at one point in our lives we have made a decision to cast our lot with Jesus and we know in our hearts that having faith and knowing grace cannot be matched by anything the world can offer. And most of us, probably for a variety of reasons, also have material comforts, at least as much as we need to find joy in daily living. And even though we know not everyone has the life that we have, we give thanks to God for  our daily bread. It is good to be alive and living in such an exceptional world, in spite of its brokenness. We have all we need and more! Thanks be to God!

Thought for the Day: For what am I most grateful in life?

1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21

“He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.’ Then Elijah said to him, ‘Go back again; for what have I done to you?’” vs. 20

After his encounter with the Lord at Mount Sinai Elijah went back to Israel with a new set of instructions: to anoint a couple of kings and then to choose a prophet to succeed him. He does the third thing first. Having been given Elisha’s name he goes to his home to issue the call. But when Elijah signals his intention, Elisha asks for a delay. He wants to go say good-by to his parents. But Elijah told him there could be no delay. We wonder about the urgency–but the truth is that sometimes the mission is urgent and delay is impossible. The story reminds us of the call Jesus issued to his disciples along the Sea of Galilee. He said, “Come follow me,” and there was no hesitation. They became his followers for the rest of their lives. Many of us have had to make those snap decisions too, and it still seems to be that way with our call to discipleship. There may be difficulties along the way, but more often than not that commitment to walk in the way of Jesus is not one that we will regret for long. There really is no better path to travel in this world, and there is certainly no better master. 

Thought for the Day: When have I had to make a decision without delay?

Luke 8:35-39

“Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.” vs. 35

The people had likely gotten used to the man during the time he was possessed by demons. People have a remarkable ability to adjust to the peculiarities of the people in their communities. But when the man was healed, when they observed him clothed and in his right mind, they were afraid. The difference in his appearance and behavior upset the equilibrium of their neighborhood. We have likely seen this happen too. Sometimes we just become accustomed to a person’s illnesses or addiction and we assume that this is how they’re always going to be. But if there’s a big change, a miracle of some sort, and they exhibit different behavior, everything seems to change, e.g. an alcoholic who stops drinking will be like a new person, and sometimes sobriety brings a whole new set of issues. The same thing can happen when a person has a spiritual transformation and begins behaving in an entirely new way. Friends can be put off by the behavioral changes, and may even wish they’d go back to their old unrepentant ways. But for the person from whom the demons have departed there’s no question of returning to the chains. Freedom in Christ is the greatest gift anyone can ever receive!

Thought for the Day: How can a good change be upsetting?

Luke 8:26-34

“As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs.” vs. 27

We’re not told why Jesus wanted to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. This was Gentile territory and the people who lived there had no special connection to the Jews. He may have simply wanted to demonstrate that his ministry was inclusive, and that he didn’t want to leave anyone out. But Luke tells us that when he came ashore he got quite a greeting from a man described as a demoniac. We know what that is like! While labels for mental illness have changed, we regularly meet people living in the streets who frankly scare the liver out of us. Sometimes they’re talking incoherently and often they’re dressed in ragged dirty clothing. In Jesus’ day they were thought to be possessed by demons–and we can understand why. But Jesus didn’t fear the demoniac–in fact we are told the demon was afraid of him! Jesus asks his name and commands the demons to come out. The bit of bargaining that takes place seems strange and we don’t understand why the herd of swine had to be drowned, but the point is that the man was transformed, and the image of God was restored. Sometimes our mission in Christ will take us to uncomfortable places and we may be asked to do scary things. And occasionally we will even see some remarkable healings!

Thought for the Day: What is an exorcism?

Galatians 3:27-29

“There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” vs. 28

Those who lived by the law were bound to make distinctions. There were rigid categories for every kind of person: circumcised and uncircumcised, male and female, slave and free, sinner and righteous, good and bad. The list went on and on. People were identified by their categories, and it was difficult, if not impossible, to move from one group to another. But when the Spirit took over the Church, all the distinctions fell away. As Paul put it, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female, for all are one in Christ Jesus.” Of course it’s one thing to say this, but it’s enormously difficult to actually begin living under the gospel. While some distinctions faded away quickly others have hung on for centuries. We’ve clung to slavery for centuries, reluctant to put it aside, mostly for economic reasons. Male and female differences still define what a person can and can’t do in our congregations. And in the last century we’ve even added distinctions! LBGTQ issues have sparked massive firefights in denominations and splits have occurred all over the world. But the Spirit cannot be stifled by our petty cultural distinctions, and unity will prevail. Jesus was for it, how can we be against it?

Thought for the Day: What distinctions are hardest for me to put aside?

Galatians 3:23-26

“But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.” vss. 25-26

As the Spirit led Paul on his missionary journey through Galatia, the land we call Turkey, he encountered Jews in nearly every city. He worshiped with them in their synagogues and shared the good news of Jesus to any who would listen. Many were interested but found it nearly impossible to give up the Law, the commandments that had defined them as a people. But Paul was insistent. He told them that the Law was a disciplinarian, but to live under the Law was a form of slavery, from which Christ had set them free. Of course most of the Jews resisted Paul’s attempts to wean them from the rules and rituals in which they had been immersed. Some of us can understand that, particularly if we’ve been taught a particularly rigid and exclusive form of Christianity. There is a kind of piety and moralism awash in Christian congregations and it ensnares many unsuspecting believers. The focus is on behaviors and children are taught that they need to be good for Jesus to love them. And when such persons are told that true faith isn’t at all about following rules and obeying doctrines, they can be shocked to the core. They can’t even imagine what it might mean to be free in Christ–and often they just shake their head and go back to the rules.

Thought for the Day: What does it mean to be free in Christ?

Psalm 22:19-28

“I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:” vs. 22

The first part of this psalm is full of great lamentation. In fact, when he was on the cross Jesus used it to express his own sense of alienation from God. But then God had acted and the Psalmist had recovered from whatever had been afflicting him, and now refuses to be silent. He heads off to the temple to tell his brothers and sisters what God had done for him so they can join him in his song of praise. It’s wonderful when we have those moments in our congregations. It does our spirits good to hear how God has been active in the lives of others. And as we join in their thanksgiving our faith is strengthened and renewed. But sometimes we don’t like to do that. We keep our thanksgivings private, perhaps because others might think we’re bragging. It’s funny how quick we are to share laments and complaints and how slow we are to talk about the good stuff in our lives. What a blessing it is when we feel free to let others hear our joys! And it’s not bragging! All that we’re saying is that at this point in our lives, we’re really happy about how things are going. And we’d at least like to give God the credit! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Thought for the Day: What song of praise is on my lips today?