Galatians « Journeyman Journal

It Doesn’t Work That Way

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

We’re all guilty of it. I know I am. We start out on the right path, but somewhere along the line we get off track. Sometimes it happens slowly…sometimes quickly. Sometimes it happens on purpose….usually it happens unintentionally.

But it does happen.

The problem is that we are too confident in our own abilities. We think we have what it takes. In many cases this might actually be true. But not in this case. In this case our abilities fail us miserably. They always have. They always will. You would think we would learn.

But we don’t.

The good news: we’re not alone (everyone has done it).
The bad news: it just doesn’t work that way.

And when it happens we need to fix the situation…well, we need God to fix it because we can’t (that’s the problem)…

How foolish can you be?
After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit,
why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?
Galatians 3:3, NLT

02.11.2009 Devotional, Spiritual Musings 1 Comment

You’re Not All That

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

I got a little splash of cold water thrown in my face this morning by the Spirit, during my time with God. I must have needed it because this verse smacked my upside the head like a 2×4:

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself.
You are not that important.
Galatians 6:2-3, NLT

Plain and simple…you’re just not all that and a bag of chips man! I have a T-shirt that says it a little less bluntly: “It’s not about me!” It’s about Him. It’s about others. It’s not about me, but too often I try and make it about me.

And that’s when God send me this little nugget: “You are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.”

Back to the drawing board as usual…

14.01.2009 Devotional, Spiritual Musings 1 Comment

A Slave to What?

Saturday, December 27th, 2008

This morning I had a powerful time with God…one of those moments that come when you least expect it. For me, these times are typically marked by God showing me how much He cares for me, but this morning was different. This morning God showed me a glimpse of my own journey with Him—He showed me a part of myself that I need to be aware of. It came from this passage:

So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you),
why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more
to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?
Galatians 4:9, NLT

I have read this particular verse I don’t know how many times…but I have never read it like I did this morning. I have been a slave to many tings in my life…including “the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world”. What are the spiritual principles of this world? Anything that points away from God to something else…idolatry. For some it’s about money and power. For others it’s narcissism (maybe most?). For some it’s an addiction. For others it’s loneliness. The list goes on and on…

As I read this verse this morning I was captured by the first part—the fact that I know God, but more importantly, He knows me! And because I have this relationship with Him I should not be drawn back into my old pattern, my old addictions, my old life. It calls to me often. But then, so does He.

So instead of being a slave to anything in this world, I am a slave to Jesus. I am His. I belong to Him. And He knows me…He knows me better than I know myself. So I am going to cling to Him and work more and more to get to Him better and let Him know me better to. That’s not easy because it means I have to open myself up to Him and to others…and that leaves me vulnerable. But it also leaves me open to His love.

Like I said…I belong to Him. I can’t wait to see where He leads!

27.12.2008 God's Love, Jesus, Spiritual Musings No Comments

Transformed

Wednesday, June 25th, 2008

I have been captured by this word and concept this week: Transformed. God has been replaying the idea, the word over and over again in my mind and spirit for the past week. This morning he led me to do a little research on the word itself from Scripture (thanks to my Libronix program this wasn’t hard to do!).

Two passages seem to cover the topic best:

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world,
but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
Romans 12:2, NLT

What counts is whether you have been transformed into a new creation.
Galatians 6:15, NLT

Two things strike me as I meditate and consider these passages. First, it is God doing the transformation…I am obviously involved in the process, but it’s God doing the real work—He is the only one with power to affect this kind of change in my life. Frankly, I have demonstrated time and again that I am am powerless within my own strength alone to change pretty much anything (certainly anything that really matters).

Second, is that both passages talk about this transformation as wholesale change…not incremental change: “into a new person” and “into a new creation”. These are not small, piece meal changes. We are talking “Big Bang” versus “Evolution” (pardon the pun). I must confess that I am still wrestling with this even as I type. Is this transformation then only done when we are saved and become Christ followers? Don’t we continue to be shaped and molded into His image as we walk with Him? I believe that’s the case, but that doesn’t seem to be what these two passages are referring to.

What are your thoughts on this topic? I am certainly thankful for this type of transformation in my life! I couldn’t have done it without Him…wouldn’t be who I am today without Him changing me from the inside out. I’ve never been the same…

25.06.2008 Devotional, Spiritual Development, Spiritual Musings No Comments