Thoughts for the Day

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing. Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

There used to be a song that went "Bewitched. bothered and bewildered am I", sung by Ella Fitzgerald about a woman who fell in love with someone who didn't love them. Paul accuses the Galatians of being in a similar state as the person in the song - they are in a right state - not thinking things through properly. They became believers because of their trust in Jesus Christ, and at their baptism they received the Holy Spirit, yet now because of false reports their faith has wavered. Those who would try to persuade them to be circumcised, (see yesterday), also want them to abide by the Law of Moses, which effectively means death for them, for no human being can obey the Law completely.

Neither we nor the Galatians can earn the Holy Spirit as though He were a medal or a winner's cup, we can only receive the Spirit through faith, and then we can begin to grow spiritually. God's grace is given to us because we believe. Paul is concerned that everything they have suffered for Jesus will be in vain, and he asks some questions:

Q.1: Who gave you the Holy Spirit? (A. It was a gift from God).

Q.2: Did this come by obeying the law? (A. God gave the Holy Spirit because of our faith).

Q.3: Did God work miracles among you because you obeyed the Law? (A. No, it was because we had faith.)

The ultimate question for all Christians today, is "Do we earn and deserve our blessing from God, or do we believe and receive a blessing from God?

Heavenly Father
help us to understand that we cannot earn
Your blessing,
for we know that we do not deserve it.
Yet You empower us with Your Holy Spirit,
when we come to Jesus admitting our failure.
May we stay close to Your Son,
and continue to grow in understanding,
and in faith.
Amen.