Category: Daily Prayer

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23

Paul lists the attributes that are displayed by spirit-filled people, godly behavior that lets others know we belong to Him. It is not just a matter of having these gifts, but sharing them, even in difficult times. The Spirit enables us to remain faithful when we face opposition.

Everyone is given these gifts, but how they are manifested in our daily lives differ by individual and circumstance. God calls us to use our gifts always and everywhere. As we mature in Christian love, we are better able to respond to trying human events with the gifts of the Spirit. When the world beats us down, we lift ourselves and others through these gifts.

When you are troubled today, instead of responding as the world does, use God’s gifts to you, showing the world that we are His, no matter what the situation. God has provided a way for us to deal with any issue as His children, if we let His Spirit shine through us.

Loving Lord, we know we will be challenged by events today. Help us to be the reflection of Your love, acting with the gifts of the Spirit and not merely human reaction. Amen.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
Galatians 5:16-17

God created us with the ability to choose our own actions, free will to decide how to live. God also gave us commandments to guide our behavior and made us responsible to Him and each other for the outcome. From the very beginning humans have misused this freedom.

In Genesis 3:6-7 we read of our first failure, choosing our desire in willful disobedience of God’s instruction. Yes, there was outside influence involved, but that only led to the second failure, blaming someone else for our mistakes. The sad story goes that God questioned Adam, who pointed to Eve, who pointed to the serpent, who had no arms and so couldn’t point to anyone else. The truth of this story is that we own our sin, no matter who we point to – the decision and the blame belong to us individually.

God, our loving creator, knows us and understands our failure. He stands ready to forgive our sin when we acknowledge our wrongdoing and turn to Him in repentance. He has seen the very best and worst we can be, and loves us in spite of all our poor choices. Take your mistakes to the Lord and He will take the burden from you. Let His loving spirit fill you and guide you to the life He intends for you.

Gracious God, we know we fall into error when we choose our own way. We regret our wrongs and want to be reconciled to You in love. Lead us, Lord; show us Your plan for our lives. Amen.

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
Galatians 5:14-15

It sounds so simple, the Commandment to love each other – why is it so hard to put into practice? I don’t think most people consciously start their day saying “I’m going to hate others today”, like most of our failings it just happens.

Unfortunately it is because we are weak and let our human desires overcome what God has planned for us. We don’t seek the guidance we need daily from God, we rush blindly into a world that is all too ready to help our failings “just happen”. Our lack of connection to God results in a broken connection with others.

Paul writes to the Galatians in this passage that love is the key element of God’s creation and His relationship with us. In another letter, Paul tell us “the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13), and that truth is borne out in all our interaction with each other. If we love one another first, everything else will be much easier.

Loving Lord, we know You are the source of all love, the power behind creation and the very reason for our existence. Help us to love others as You first loved us, that all people may know a relationship with You. Amen.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Galatians 5:13

Paul continues his lesson to the Galatians, explaining that just because we are free does not mean we can do whatever we want. There is an obligation for responsible behavior and care for others inherent in the freedom Christ has given us. As with all our gifts, we are called to use it wisely.

As followers of Jesus, our sins have been forgiven by His sacrifice. We are free from the oppression we were under when we lived in darkness. Now as children of the Light, we are expected to live as He did, sharing the Gospel with all the world and calling everyone back to a relationship with God.

Paul warns us all not to fall back into the bad habits we practiced before. A good friend of mine says “once you take out the trash, you don’t go pick it up again!” Paul teaches that our newfound freedom is intended to allow us to serve each other in love, as Jesus showed us. We are to treat everyone as family, as we are all brothers and sisters in Him.

Loving Lord, thank You for redeeming us from sin to be made whole again. Help us to find strength in our faith to resist temptation and love one another. Make us active servants of Your kingdom. Amen.

Being God’s children, and brothers and sisters in Christ, we are expected to be responsible to God and each other. We have been shown God’s law and His love, now we must use both in our daily lives to reach out to the world. This is what we were made for!

God has shepherded us as His beloved creation since the very beginning, nurturing and teaching us. Our own willful temperament often leads us to sin, separating us from God, but in His mercy there is always forgiveness and welcome for our repentant return. We must learn to forgive and welcome back those who have wronged us.

God is patient with us, and we must be patient with ourselves and each other, seeing the growth that He intends, learning to follow Jesus and share His truth with everyone. We are the tools He uses to build His kingdom, blessed and called to His service.

Eternal God, we are grateful that You forgive our sins and want us back as Your children. Help us to give You praise in all we do, loving those around us because You love them, and showing the world the joy of life in connection with You. Amen.

Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:23-29

In Galatians 3:23-29 Paul explains the concept of being justified by faith, that we are responsible to God and each other through our faith in Christ. He teaches that the law given by God was to protect us until the coming of Jesus, and now our faith in Him is the standard for our lives and our salvation.

He speaks of us being one in Christ, the concept that we are all equal as brothers and sisters in faith, without rank or position. Paul knows that our physical and social differences still exist, but he challenges us to live in Christ without regard to them, to accept one another and recognize what is most important – our common faith.

How are we living today as heirs of the promise made to Abraham? We have received the same call to obey God and be a blessing to the world. May we respond as faithfully as Abraham, accepting the gift and the responsibility our faith brings.

Loving Lord, we are grateful that You want to be in relationship with us and that You have made us with the ability to choose. Help us to make wise decisions, following the model Jesus taught, to love You and each other. Amen.

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:29

In Genesis 12:1-3, we read about God’s call to Abram, asking him to follow in faith, and the promise that he would be blessed and through him all the earth would be blessed. That’s both a hard and wonderful thing. To leave everything you know for an uncertain future is difficult.

Because we know God and trust in His goodness, we are often in that situation. God always wants better for us, but we have to be willing to trust Him and let go of our human desire to control everything. Through faith, we are blessed to be brothers and sisters in Christ, and as Paul writes in today’s verse “heirs according to the promise”.

God has given us the same call and blessing given to Abram. When we follow God faithfully not only are we blessed but we become a blessing to others by our example. Go be the Lord’s representative to all the earth!

Gracious God, thank You for the blessing of relationship with You, and the call to go spread the Good News in our world. Make us strong for the task You have given, sharing Your love everywhere. Amen.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

Paul teaches, as Jesus did, that there are no classes or divisions among believers. While we may have different gifts and different calls on our lives, we are all part of the body of Christ. No one is greater than or more necessary than any other.

God has a place in the kingdom for all of us, work that is designed specifically for each one. In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul writes about different gifts of the spirit and how they work together as the body of Christ, each relying on the other just as in the human body. We also know that when one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers (1 Corinthians 12:26), and so it is with the body of Christ as well; we must help others be whole, spiritually and physically if we are to complete the work.

Do you know a brother or sister who is suffering? Are there those around you who do not yet know the love of God in their lives? Reach out to all those in need that they may once again be vital parts of the body of Christ, engaged in kingdom work!

Gracious God, we are grateful for all the gifts of the spirit that enable us to accomplish the mission You have given us. Keep us safe in Your love and strong in our faith to do the work for which we are called. Amen.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Galatians 3:26-27

What a wonderful blessing to be children of God through faith! Paul writes this to teach us the reality that we are all God’s children, made in His image, and we must recognize the fact. It’s not a matter of “becoming” His children, we always have been, we simply need to remember.

By our faith, we realize our heritage and our responsibility as part of God’s family. Through our baptism we accept the call Christ has placed on our lives and our commitment to carry out the mission we have been given – to make disciples of all the world. When we follow the example Jesus gave us, we show everyone the joy a relationship with God brings.

God is and has always been our Heavenly Father, and He waits for our acceptance of the promise and our obedience to His will. In this connection of faith and love, we are made one with Him and all our brothers and sisters.

Loving Lord, thank You for being our patient parent. We are often slow to believe and slower to love, but You continue to reach out to us. May we see the truth of Christ and go to share the Good News with everyone. Amen.

Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
Galatians 3:25

Paul tells the Galatians that along with the salvation we have received through Christ’s sacrifice for us, we have received responsibility for our faith. That choice was always there, but now with the coming of the Good News, we know that Jesus is the way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). Now that we are aware of this, our situation has changed.

Paul explains this using an example that may sound a little foreign to us, but relatable just the same. He said that the law acted as our guardian, protecting us from sin much as an adult protects a child. Now that we have “come of age” spiritually, we are responsible for the choices we make, because we have the truth of Christ as our model.

Notice that Paul does not say we can save ourselves (we can’t!) nor does he state that we are spiritually complete (we’re not!), he only indicates we have reached a point, much like eighteen year olds in our society, that we are responsible for the choices we make. God gave us His son that we might accept the love and forgiveness He brought us, and choose to follow Him. We are now part of the process of bringing Christ’s kingdom to everyone everywhere. May we live up to that responsibility.

Gracious God, through Your gift of free will, You allow us to choose for ourselves, not forcing Your children to worship You, but inviting us. Thank You for Your trust in us, may we not betray it. Amen.