Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
May 9, 2023
Galatians 5:16-26
16 I say be guided by the Spirit, and you won’t carry out your selfish desires. 17 A person’s selfish desires are set against the Spirit, and the Spirit is set against one’s selfish desires. They are opposed to each other, so you shouldn’t do whatever you want to do. 18 But if the Spirit is leading you, you aren’t under the Law. 19 The actions that are produced by selfish motives are obvious since they include sexual immorality, moral corruption, doing whatever feels good, 20 idolatry, drug use and casting spells, hate, fighting, obsession, losing your temper, competitive opposition, conflict, selfishness, group rivalry, 21 jealousy, drunkenness, partying, and other things like that. I warn you as I have already warned you, that those who do these kinds of things won’t inherit God’s kingdom. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against things like this. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the self with its passions and its desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit. 26 Let’s not become arrogant, make each other angry, or be jealous of each other.
Good Morning, Ah! Holy Jesus! You bless us!
When I open the passage of Scripture each morning from the Upper Room, I do a quick skim. Sometimes I recognize the passage simply from the verse numbers. There are certain books to which I feel connected, and I smile when I see the name of the Book. Of course, some Books make me say, Oh, the verses in this Book often challenge me. Typically, the letters of Paul fill a special place in my heart. As I skimmed the passage from Galatians, I said to myself, “Ah, the fruit of the Spirit. I quickly list the first eight, but then I pause when I reach the final fruit, self-control. Imagine your favorite pet excitedly hanging on your every word with that uh huh look that says, I got this; and then exhibiting that cartoon look of “Oh, no, I can’t do that.”
So the big question is, “How do we manage all that?” The short answer is only by the grace of God, who blesses us. Most of us have a handle on a few of these fruits. At least, we do most of the time. Then we have those that we get right some of the time. Finally, we have those that challenge us most of the time. Some of these seem to change as we age or face life-changing challenges.
To quote a dear friend, we often fight the transformations of the Holy Spirit, “kicking and screaming.” We like who we are and don’t want to change. We want to negotiate terms, “Hey, Holy Spirit, What if I continue to do a little of that? Won’t that be okay?”
And here I am, back to Moses as he offers these choices to the Israelites as they prepare to cross the Jordan River into the promised land. Deuteronomy 30:15-20
15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.
When we choose life and blessings, we accept Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to work within us. Ever so slowly, we are transformed into the beings God created as we live and exemplify the fruits of the spirit. Only by the grace of God is this transformation possible. We are God’s miracle.
Blessed God, We thank you for Your blessings. You are great! What a goal you set before us. We are trying! Thank You! In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Daily meditation and prayer allow me to bear the fruit of the Spirit.
How is it with your soul? Pastor Liz
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