Scripture: Galatians 5:15-21
If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Thought for the Day: Now let’s be clear, Paul is not suggesting some radical dichotomy where everything in the physical world is bad and everything in the spiritual world is good. That would undermine the beautiful creation narrative in which God created physical matter and declared it intrinsically good. Again, Paul is using metaphor to point to the underlying power of a self-serving attitude that leads to sin and destructive behavior. The way of the spirit (the way of God) is self-giving, where the choices one makes are choices that are constantly shaped by the question, “What does the other person need?” The freedom Paul spoke about in the previous verses could lead an individual to make all kinds of self-serving choices. God has given us that freedom, but in Christ (and through the spirit), we discover an entirely different way of thinking and living. My short-term wants should never outweigh the ongoing and genuine needs of another. The problem is that “flesh” (our own selfish thinking) can easily convince us that our short-term wants are really more important than anything else.
Prayer: Father God, continue to guide me in the ways of the spirit so my life-choices disclose the selflessness of Jesus Christ. Amen.
DON’T FORGET
Friday Night
Movie Night
“Dreamer”
6:30pm in the Gym
