Galatians 5:13-26
"Brothers and sisters, you were called to freedom -- only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another"
I read this verse over quite a few times and was reminded of a time when God called me to serve from a place in my soul that I would only be able to connect with by walking in the Spirit. Whether you are reading this through eyes of a husband a wife, or someone's friend, we've all been a relationship of some kind. We've all experienced some kind of disconnect with the person we care about. It's so easy to justify our feelings when we are angry but what happens when in your moment of wanting to identify with what your flesh is trying to convince you is right, God speaks over those desires and says "you are the only way he/she will know my love -- go serve them". "What Lord?" Okay, so we then spend an hour or two, or a day or three wrestling with what God just called us to do because in our flesh, we still want to justify why we are right. The Apostle Paul tells us "Walk by the Ruach (the Spirit), and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Ruach, but the Ruach sets its desire against the flesh for these are in opposition to one another so that you cannot do what you want." (v.16-17) As followers of Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit we should remain aware of the attributes that make up the fruit of the Spirit and freely operate from that paradigm -- that's how we are called to serve each other through love. It's nothing we can do on our own. I am learning, by the grace of God, to ask myself throughout the day -- "what fruit am I operating in? -- am I serving through love?" This is so not easy. I'm learning that my journey with Jesus goes beyond my circumstances -- it's a constant check up on the condition of my heart. So as I get ready to go to school and interact with 20 kindergartners in one room, I pray the Holy Spirit reminds me I am there not only to teach them how to read, I am there to serve through His love, and called to freely operate from the fruit of the Spirit. I pray we all remember that we here to serve and we may be the only way someone will know the love of Jesus today.
"Brothers and sisters, you were called to freedom -- only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another"
I read this verse over quite a few times and was reminded of a time when God called me to serve from a place in my soul that I would only be able to connect with by walking in the Spirit. Whether you are reading this through eyes of a husband a wife, or someone's friend, we've all been a relationship of some kind. We've all experienced some kind of disconnect with the person we care about. It's so easy to justify our feelings when we are angry but what happens when in your moment of wanting to identify with what your flesh is trying to convince you is right, God speaks over those desires and says "you are the only way he/she will know my love -- go serve them". "What Lord?" Okay, so we then spend an hour or two, or a day or three wrestling with what God just called us to do because in our flesh, we still want to justify why we are right. The Apostle Paul tells us "Walk by the Ruach (the Spirit), and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Ruach, but the Ruach sets its desire against the flesh for these are in opposition to one another so that you cannot do what you want." (v.16-17) As followers of Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit we should remain aware of the attributes that make up the fruit of the Spirit and freely operate from that paradigm -- that's how we are called to serve each other through love. It's nothing we can do on our own. I am learning, by the grace of God, to ask myself throughout the day -- "what fruit am I operating in? -- am I serving through love?" This is so not easy. I'm learning that my journey with Jesus goes beyond my circumstances -- it's a constant check up on the condition of my heart. So as I get ready to go to school and interact with 20 kindergartners in one room, I pray the Holy Spirit reminds me I am there not only to teach them how to read, I am there to serve through His love, and called to freely operate from the fruit of the Spirit. I pray we all remember that we here to serve and we may be the only way someone will know the love of Jesus today.
Randi
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