The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 6:1-10 (day seven)

There is an important sequence in the story line of “The Lord of the Rings.” Samwise Gamgee has been a faithful companion to Frodo Baggins on his journey to Mordor to destroy “The One Ring.” Yet, the ring begins to come between them. It is visibly evident that the weight of the ring is taking a toll on Frodo. Sam, the good friend that he is, offers to share the load and carry the ring for a bit so Frodo can have a break. Frodo, under the the spell of the ring, believes that Sam is selfishly trying to take it for himself, propelling an argument that sends Sam back home. Frodo proceeds on the route by himself and is unable to bear the burden alone leading to his capture.

We know Tolkien was a devout Catholic. I believe he wrote this scene with Galatians 6 in mind. The ring is very clearly a symbol of sin in our own lives. We often believe that our struggles are internal, but what we don’t realize is that as much as we try to keep the pain to ourselves, it will eventually bleed over into other places and impact our relationships. We have been created and designed by God to be dependent on others. Anytime we try to bear our own load, it will almost always lead us to more pain and more problems.

Spoiler Alert: Sam didn’t go home. He followed Frodo at a distance and rescued him. This is the importance of community. Be more like Sam. Be like Christ.

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 6:1-10 (day six)

“…you who are godly…” Galatians 6:1

By “godly,” Paul means walking by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).

Beginning in 5:16, Paul provides the Galatians with a field guide on “walking by the Spirit.” He concludes his guide with some very practical advice in Galatians 6:1-10, covering two connected Spirit-led efforts. The first effort is internal (managing our own temptations and reorganizing our life around Jesus), and the second is external (restoring and sharing each other’s burdens); neither is mutually exclusive.

Perhaps these verses have two overarching declarations: You must take responsibility for your own spiritual growth (6:1b, 4), and you can’t fake it (6:7-8).

Paul never does “salvation” light; he expects us to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling.” (Phil. 2:12)

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 6:1-10 (day five)  

“For each one will bear his own load.” Paul is eliminating the “comparison game”. The word for load (kind of a backpack) is different than the word for burden (heavy weight). Paul is teaching that each of us is given a load to bear by God- difficulties, opportunities, weaknesses, gifts. If they are given by God, we are accountable to Him for the way in which we bear the load. The expectation, His expectation, is our obedience in bearing our individual loads. Is there community, fellowship, sharing?  Of course, yes. But, with the emphasis on obedience, our focus moves from ourselves (conceit, selfishness) and from others (envy, jealousy) to the Lord. We seek and strive to please Him. Then as we look at our own progress in that light, we can be both humble (not comparing) and generous (knowing others have a load they must bear).

“Our task is to carry our individual load… in a way that pleases God.”- Tim Keller

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 6:1-10 (day four)

After reading about the fruits of the Spirit last week, did one of them stick out to you? The command to be gentle has stuck out to me lately, and it seems that Paul had gentleness on his mind too as he wraps up his letter to the Galatians. The Spirit will produce gentleness in our lives.

More often than not, though, I feel like a bull in a china shop. I put my foot in my mouth and say the wrong thing, I go into a conversation ready to get my way and defend my own ideas, my “correction” or critique of others  comes off harsh and prideful. I have a lot of room in my life for the fruit of gentleness to ripen.

Why is this particular command so difficult? It may be because gentleness doesn’t get us very far in the ways of the world. The world tells us to be pushy and to do whatever it takes to get ahead. When I act in this way and move through life quickly and harshly, I’ve conformed to the ways of the world without even thinking. As Christ continues to renew us, we will begin to see more opportunities to sow gentleness, and in so doing, we will look more like Christ.

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 6:1-10 (day three)

“If anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness…”

It’s easier to police behavior than to join the work of restoration. It doesn’t require curiosity, patience, or empathy, just good old-fashioned rule-making and forced conformity. But Paul presents a vision of the church as the one open door on earth inviting people into a vision of what they can be — in fact, what they’ve always wanted to be – but have given up on being because they got lost. When, on mission with Jesus, the church finds a person, that person needs all the Jesus-infused longsuffering the church can muster. It’s hard to be restorative toward someone when all the energy goes into being shocked at behavior. The church never loses sight of how beautiful a person can be.

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 6:1-10 (day two)  

So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. vs. 10

Keeping score can get exhausting. Who said what to whom? When was I last wronged or slighted? Was I treated fairly when…? Paul does not discount that fact that misunderstandings happen. He doesn’t deny that life is hard and so often unfair. He is aware, however, of the grace that he was given through Jesus, and that has changed his perspective on how to treat others. Remember when you were forgiven and you didn’t deserve it? There is such a feeling of relief not having to carry around that burden. That burden which impacts how we speak to, relate to, and treat others. Before that grace what was your reaction to misunderstandings? Harsh, bitter, ugly? Perhaps your defenses were so attuned to protecting yourself from further harm, that you became the one hurting others. Paul isn’t saying that doing good is easy, but it does take the pressure off of trying to remember who to be nice to and who not to. Remember when Jesus was kind to you? Pass it on.

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 5:16-26 (day seven)  

those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. vs. 21b

Upon reading this list, I find myself in conviction of missteps in my own life where I succumbed to the desires of my flesh. What about you? Does that mean that we will not inherit the kingdom of God? It would seem as if the very legalism that Paul is attempting to extinguish is being fed kindling. We feel as if when we commit one of these sins we have committed an unpardonable offense… or that is what the enemy would want us to believe. When we think we are unredeemable, we lose our hope and will to endure. The game changer here comes down to “practice.” In this instance, practice does not make perfect but is the road to condemnation. The grace of God allows us to recognize that the flesh has not won the war and we can repent of our missteps. By the work of the Spirit and the evidence of His fruit, we can pull ourselves up out of the practice of sinning through the practice of praying.

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 5:16-26 (day six)

²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23

The evidence of the Spirit is not the clothes you wear, the food you eat, or the places you go. Nor is it your family lineage, how early in life you attended church, your Sunday school attendance, or your well-versed prayers. The Spirit of God will always lead the children of God to love God and others.

A child of God is not determined by how they look on the outside but by how they love on the outside. Say “yes” to God’s Spirit and love well today!

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 5:16-26 (day five)  

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25 The scripture teaches that there is rhythm and movement of the Holy Spirit- steps (forward progress). The challenge from Paul to these believers is remarkable. The God of the Universe, through His Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to walk WITH Him.  There are “steps”- pace, cadence, stamina, required to be in stride with the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit. It is both possible and beneficial. The prerequisite is that we live by the Spirit (“If we live by the Spirit”).

Being in step with the Holy Spirit is not dependent on spiritual highs or lows, or good or bad circumstances, but rather faithful obedience in our daily lives. Throughout scripture, importance is placed on walking with God on a daily basis. We must discover and practice rhythms that will keep us in step with the Spirit- prayer, worship, reading and meditating in scripture, just to name a few.