You crazy Galatians!

Peter Neilson September 09, 2024 4 2

Playlists

Add to Favourites

Save for later

Listen to this daily worship

Galatians 3: 1-6 (MSG)

1 You crazy Galatians! Did someone put a spell on you? Have you taken leave of your senses? Something crazy has happened, for it’s obvious that you no longer have the crucified Jesus in clear focus in your lives. His sacrifice on the cross was certainly set before you clearly enough.

2-4 Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God’s Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren’t smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!

5-6 Answer this question: Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you? Don’t these things happen among you just as they happened with Abraham? He believed God, and that act of belief was turned into a life that was right with God.

I have been reading a fascinating book on “How to read a Tree” by Tristan Gooley who runs a school of natural navigation. He teaches how to read compass directions from the tree shaped by the prevailing winds, its south facing “eyes” and by observing roots and branches.

The “tree” where Jesus was crucified sets the direction for our lives as Christians. When we lose that focus, we are thrown back on our own devices to find our way to God and to make our way through life.

Paul does not mince his words. The good folk of the Province of Galatia are “crazy” to exchange the God-given way to communion with the Father, for some self-made option, however rich its Jewish pedigree.

They started out with their eyes on Christ crucified and discovered that the very life of God flowed into them through the Holy Spirit, giving them the grace to endure opposition (as people of the Cross) and giving them power to enact signs of the Kingdom (as people of the resurrection).

We start out with our eyes on Jesus. Over time life becomes Jesus and particular behaviours or worship patterns, Jesus and certain theological stances or church structures, Jesus and our preferred approach to Scripture or ethics. In time, the “and” becomes more important than Jesus.

Time to bring the crucified Jesus back into clear focus.

Prayer:

It is said that Mother Theresa meditated on the Cross for an hour every morning before embarking on her days of caring for the poorest of the poor in Calcutta. She kept the Crucified Jesus in clear focus.

If you have a Cross close by, time to look and meditate on it in silence.

If you do not have a Cross, make a cross shape before you with whatever you have.

Take 5-10 minutes to sit with that image – thankful for Jesus who “loved me and gave himself for me” and asking to be filled afresh with his Spirit.