Until the time when we were mature enough to respond freely in faith to the living God, we were carefully surrounded and protected by the Mosaic law. The law was like those Greek tutors, with which you are familiar, who escort children to school and protect them from danger or distraction, making sure the children will really get to the place they set out for. But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe - Christ's life, the fulfillment of God's original promise. In Christ's family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, since you are Christ's family, then you are Abraham's famous "descendant," heirs according to the covenant promises. (Galatians 3:23-29 The Message)
A happy and blessed Tremendous Tuesday for you and yours, dear Reader! I pray the wonderful blessings of the Lord be yours on this day. May the time we spend in the word of God bless us richly. Spend time in prayer. If you brought home your church bulletin, take time to find your church's prayer list and pray for all those listed there. Pray especially for your pastor(s) that God would watch over and bless them in wonderful ways. If your pastor is on vacation, pray for that time to be a time of renewal for them and their families. Pray for one another, pray for yourselves.
I've shared with you how college was an eye-opening experience for me. I was among the first in our family to attend, and I had no clue of what to expect. At registration when asked how many hours I wanted to take, the blue-collar man in me eagerly said 40! Whenever I took my first exam, I did not know what a blue book was; thanks to a classmate, I hurried to the school store and bought the correct item in which to take the exam. And when I heard of clubs and societies on campus I had to think and re-think what they might be, especially when I heard about the Pre-Law Society. Hmm, I thought, is that another name for the frats? They get together and acted out what life was like before Moses received the Law? And I, being pre-ministerial, decided to stay away from such a group. Paul addresses this in today's passage. The Law came from God to keep people under the guidance of what it means to get along and work well with others. In this modern version, the author compares that to living under Greek tutors who would escort children to school and serve as their protectors from danger and distractions. It was when Christ came that we realized we were living under grace, or as the author defines, it, "in direct relationship with God." Our baptism was not just a ceremonial cleansing as it was also a dressing up of our souls like Christ with an "adult faith wardrobe," which is also Christ's very life. Christ made it easier to live under grace than under law. An example is how we differ from our Roman Catholic brethren. Their theology says that salvation is a reward of works, rather than a free gift. I had a friend in college who was studying to be a nun because of her guilt. I found that her guilt came because her priest in high school grabbed her and kissed her. She blamed herself; and the only way God would forgive her would be by taking orders as a nun. I had a Bible study with her and showed her that we are saved, made right with God, by God's undeserved love, which is grace and it comes to us for FREE.
Paul further states things unheard of in his day that in Christ we are made one with each other in faith. There are no divisions into Jew or non-Jew, slave or free, male or female. And, he further states, that in faith we are brothers and sisters, coheirs one with the other, as Abraham's and Sarah's famous descendants; who will inherit all things of God, according to the covenant promises.
In Christ Jesus, you and I are free to love each other. In Christ Jesus we are free to live our lives away from the things that previously slowly killed us or separated us from God and each other. God's power and freedom makes us unique people among all people. Remember the song, based on the scripture? "And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love; yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love." Are you showing that? Or, do grumpiness and snobbiness mar your lives? In the Name of Jesus, we can ask those to leave us! Free to love, free to serve. Free to make others like us in our love for God and for each other.
PRAYER: Loving God, free us from preconceived notions of discipleship. Free us to love, truly love all people. As we dress each day, dress us in Christ with His adult faith wardrobe. Fill our hearts with deep love so deeply, it seeps out to others. Bless us to be a blessing. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a person of grace today!
Blessings of love,
Eradio Valverde
