Scripture: Galatians 4:21
Tell me—those of you who want to be under the Law—don’t you listen to the Law?
Thought for the Day: Paul begins this section with a question about listening. For his audience, the idea of listening and faithful obedience were inseparable. Those from a Jewish background would have known the Shema (Deut. 6:4ff), which begins
Hear, O Israel: the Lord The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your might.
Keep these words that I am commanding you
today in your heart…
Listening closely for the message of God was required if someone wished to keep the words that God was commanding. That seems to make complete sense. Paul moves on in the chapter to retell a well-known story, the story of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar and the birth of two children. Yet Paul wishes for them to listen for a new or what might be described as an alternative understanding of the passage. He even suggests in vs. 24 that the story is an allegory of covenantal relationship. It is as if Paul is suggesting that God is speaking in a fresh way through an old story – offering something that had never been seen before. Do you believe this still is happening? Do new life experiences and insights allow us to hear something never before seen in scripture? Are the scriptures alive like a piece of art – challenging and inspiring well beyond the original motivation for the creation?
Prayer: Simple and outdated words are often overlooked. Assumptions about meaning that never seem to look beyond the surface. Where are we missing your whisper, O Lord? Where have you continued to speak to those who are not listening, but should? Be patient with us. Amen.
Come and Hear
from the Photographer, Mark Burns
Thursday – 6:30pm
