Day 5

Lisa Sheffler, author

Happy Friday!

What is God revealing to you through your time in Galatians? Spend some time with him in prayer today, asking him to guide you to apply what you’ve learned.

Reflect

This was a challenging passage! Read over it one more time, recalling what you’ve learned this week.

Take another look at Galatians 3:15-25

In your own words, what point is Paul trying to make about the Abrahamic covenant and about the Mosaic law?
What has stayed with you personally as you’ve studied this passage?

Connect

In another phase of life, I was a high school teacher. One of the things I discovered is that sometimes you had to find multiple ways of making the same point before your students really understood. That’s the same tactic Paul is employing here.

So if you feel like in every week of our study of Galatians the main point is, God has saved us through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works of the law, you’d be right. And if you study Romans or Ephesians or other New Testament books, you’ll see that point made just as clearly and forcefully. Why do you think God wanted that message featured so often and with such emphasis in his word? Must be because it’s something that we need to hear over and over again.

God loves you and accepts you. You are welcome into the family of God, not based on anything to do with you — your accomplishments, your “goodness,” your rule-following, your giftedness — but because he is full of grace, love, and mercy. He created you, loves you, and through Jesus has formed a relationship with you that will last through eternity. The Son of God came to sacrifice himself for sin and to defeat the evil forces of this age, so you can spend eternity with him in heaven.

And you probably know that.

If you’ve been in church for a while, you’ve heard it before. But do you really believe it? Do you live like you are staking your life on this truth? Do you love and follow Jesus, spend time with the Father, and rely on the Spirit? Do you recognize the freedom you have in Christ? Freedom to live fully for God without fear? Because all that is yours, by faith, and without the law.

The number of times the New Testament repeats it would indicate that we all need the reminder.

Respond

Slow down, pray over these prompts, and ask the Spirit to direct you.

Ask the Father:

What do you want me to take away from what I’ve studied this week? What do you want me to remember and keep present with me?
What do you want me to do with the truth of your Word? What is the one, next, right step that you want me to take?
What are you teaching me about you? About who you are and the relationship I have with you? How can I worship and love you based on what you’ve revealed?

Over and over we’re hearing that by faith in Jesus, we are made right with God! That’s not just a belief — it’s a call to a life lived for the glory of God and the good of other people. Have a meaningful conversation with someone about what that means for you. What’s going on in your life right now that is an invitation to deeper faith in God and actions that reflect that faith?

Coming up next week…

Next week we’re coming up on a section that I think is the heart of Galatians. You won’t want to miss it!