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We are studying the book of Galatians. It is a book designed to help us understand how to live by Grace and not Works. As I look back on my posting for Divine Expectations, it is no wonder that we often fall back to legalism. It is so much easier to "do" for God, than it is to "know" him. However a true life of freedom flows from "knowing" Him and learning to live by faith. I have been reading The Message translation lately. In Galatians 3, it says to trust Christ, not the law. A couple of things that really stood out in that chapter are:
- God is working things in your life that you could never do for yourself.
- Does He do this because of your goodness or because you believe Him?
- The person who believes God, is set right by God -- and that's the real life.
- The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him.
- Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you (interesting don't you think) ?
There is a lot of life in understanding the above statements. I think there is freedom and rest from our striving. But for the person who argues against grace and for "legalism/works", they say God is holy, you must follow the law! Yes, but the statements above show us that God is our only hope of living for him and being made holy. That kind of life only comes out of the overflow of "knowing" God and entering into what God does for you. Maybe that is why we fail so often when we try to "do" for God. Just a thought! |
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For years I have wondered if King Hezekiah would have prayed for God to spare his life if he knew that in that extra 15 years he was given, he would father one of the most evil kings in the nation's history. Sometimes we pray so selfishly. We are so short sighted, caring only about ourselves and the time we live in. This week, I want to practice praying with the end in mind.
I pray that God would cancel any of my requests where he has something better in mind, something eternal. I read Psalm 106:14-15 that said, "In the wilderness, their desires ran wild, testing God's patience in that dry land. so he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it."
I guess the lesson there is to be careful what you ask for... |
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Does God have the right to expect us to live up to His laws? That was our subject in Sunday School as we study the book of Isaiah. God expected his people to act justly, to do good and help the oppressed. Instead, his people became a nation of people who became rich at the expense of others, alignated themselves in their homes, seeking only pleasers, failing to think of the Lord and notice what he is doing and began calling evil, good and good, evil. This sounds alot like his people today.
God is calling us to:
- Learn to Do Good!
- Seek Justice...
- Help the "oppressed" (those marginalized by others with more power)
- Defend the orphan.
- Fight for the right of the widows.
When living in such a time as this, we can and we should live up to our God's Divine Expectations. |
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