A True Partnership

Daily Reading: Galatians 3

Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3.2-3)

Devotional Thought: Without the sun and rain, seeds won’t grow and produce a crop.  But also, without the planting of the seeds and tending of the garden, the sun and rain won’t produce a crop either!  It is when we believe that the sun and rain will do their work that we plant the seeds and tend the garden.  It is by faith that we do our works.  It is a true partnership.

While God does the work of transformation in us, spiritual disciplines are still important.  God will not cause growth in a dormant heart.  Paul's two questions in Galatians 3, are relevant for us today:

• Did they receive the Holy Spirit – the life-giving Presence of God – by sacrificing animals and bringing grain offerings?  No!  The gift of life in the Holy Spirit was given to them when they exercised the gift of faith – when they believed that Jesus was their Savior and that he died and rose again to save them from their sins.  It was a partnership, but not of works, rather of faith.

• Having begun their new life by faith, were they so foolish as to now believe that the goal of living in the Spirit could be achieved by human effort?  Again, the implied answer is No!  Only a fool would believe that!  We cannot hope to achieve Spirit-fullness and the attendant Christ-likeness by human effort.  Only God can fill us with the Spirit. Only Christ can make us Christ-like.  But, I must make myself available to him.  Spirit-fullness is a partnership of God's ability and my availability.

So, guard against a righteousness by works, but also guard against doing nothing to grow deeper in him.  Remember, it is by faith that we do our works.  It is a true partnership.

Prayer: Lord, how wonderful is your love that you work with us as full partners in our spiritual formation!  What joy is ours to become more and more like your Son as we offer our full cooperation and give our best effort!  May grace work in us to transform us!  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 102:1-11

1 Hear my prayer, LORD; let my cry for help come to you.

2 Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.

3 For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers.

4 My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food.

5 In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones.

6 I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.

7 I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof.

8 All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse.

9 For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears

10 because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.

11 My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.