Thursday, August 6: Galatians 4- Rules or faith?.

Paul’s elaborate argument is becoming clear. Some Galatians are returning to the ‘law.’ In other words, one must become a Jew and practice the entire law in order to follow Jesus. Paul’s word… you cannot have it both ways. If you are under the Law then you are not under faith in Jesus. The Law never could save. The Law never gave the Holy Spirit and the Law won’t do that now. But faith in Jesus can save, will save, and did give the Holy Spirit.

I am not tempted to ‘return’ to Judaism.  I never was a Jew. But sometimes the subtle temptation to earn my way into God’s good graces or perform particular religious rituals to help ensure my salvation, does creep into my thinking and living. This letter of Galatians reminds me it is faith in Jesus… and only faith in Jesus that opens the floodgates of God’s blessings of being part of God’s faith family.

The simplicity of the Gospel is sometimes a bit scary, because it is so simple. I am reminded of Naaman in the Old Testament. He traveled to Israel to be healed of leprosy but when Elijah told him all he had to do was bathe in the Jordan he was angry. “I could have bathed in the river back home. Had he asked me to do some thing great I would have done it…(2Kings 5)” And he left angrily. Fortunately he came to his senses and returned to the prophet and did the simple thing he was told and was healed. What I see in this story is that sometimes we are willing to do that which is great or hard to receive our reward.  However, when we are asked only to do something simple we think, It can’t be, I didn’t do enough’.

We are odd sometimes….

All God asks of us is to believe in Jesus and live from that posture of belief. God’s reward for faith in Jesus… we are heirs, children of God.

Lord, I am praising You for Your gift of grace!!! What a gift. What love. Praise be to You. Amen!!!