02.16
“Against such things there is no law.”
That is a terribly profound statement. It seems like we always want to do the thing we can’t. It’s like putting a middle school student alone in a room with a big red button that says, “Don’t Push”. We are drawn to what we’re told not to approach. I think that’s why Paul puts forth such a crazy list in Galatians 5:19-21. You know, a list where envy stands next to witchcraft, a list where we can all find a little bit of ourselves.
But in that profound statement, Paul points out the obvious in such a poignant way. You are free to live out the fruit of the Spirit all day long. No one is going to reprimand you; it’s likely you won’t be put in jail for any of those qualities. The big question is whether I am free enough to do those things, whether I have been loosened enough from the chains of my sinful desires, whether I have tasted the delicacy of obedience. None of which is forbidden by any of God’s laws. So what is holding us back?
Maybe we need a big green button that says, “PUSH!” Push love. Push joy. Push peace. Push patience. Push kindness. Push goodness. Push faithfulness. Push self-control. Each button you push opens a door to freedom.
What pushed your buttons from today’s passage?
“In step with the Spirit” jumped out for me. I am too often out of step with Him. It’s so easy to fall away. Even with God’s help, it seems that we tend downward. I think we struggle to do the things we think we should do. But it seems in these verses, that to live by, be led by, to be in step with the Spirit of God are not so much good behaviors as they are close relationship. If you spend a great deal of time around a close friend, you’ll catch yourself using phrases that they use, or gestures that they are noted for. I think God rubs off on us when we seek out his company. Time in the Word and time in prayer and time with Him and honest gratitude will probably do more to change us than all of our best efforts to ‘get better’. It’s easy to feel guilty about failing, but it’s probably better to trust the One who already has a plan that accounts for my failings than to bemoan them and still show no improvement.
“You were called to be free” is how my reading starts today. I was reminded of how I have heard non Christians say “you have to be so goody goody to be a Christian” or that there are too many rules and restrictions to being a Christian. In reality, Christ gives freedom not restriction. This freedom is for the soul and the psyche and can be found no where else. Following Him is not just being good or following rules. When you choose Christ, you do start saying no to what you might want to do but, another way to say it is you say no to selfishness.
Living out the fruit of the Spirit will cause un-believers to notice…”why are you so happy?” or to ask in a bad situation, “don’t you get frazzled?” They are seeing the fruit that they don’t have and they wonder about it. This is our chance to point them to the fruit bowl that truly satisfies.
I can’t imagine life with out the blessing of the Spirit and His work in my life. There would be no good fruit with out Him. Lord, help me to stay in step with you and to guide those you put in my life in your ways…the way of freedom. Gotta run, I have some big green buttons to push!
vs. 5 – If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
In our marriage classes we use this verse to show couples how they can get stuck in the rut of selfishness, nagging, and blaming each other for anything and everything. This is a very dangerous rut to get stuck in. It does lead to destruction of what God intended for marriages (and relationships in general).
Instead, we should be especially careful to put that “fruit of the Spirit” into practice with our spouse. If we love them, express joy around and for them, behave peacefully around them, have patience with them, show gentleness and kindness to them, are faithful in our commitment to them, approach our relationship with them with gentleness, and practice self-control when it comes to our “wants and demands” – then imagine the difference it would make in marriages, in our homes, in the community, in the world!