Focus

Pay attention to the tension in your body. Let go of it and any expectations to do anything other than God’s will today. Prepare yourself to hear God’s word.

Read

Galatians 4:1-7 (NRSV)

My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than slaves, though they are the owners of all the property; but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

Reflect

My 9-year-old daughter is a nosy little girl, but her older sister is very private and sensitive. Just imagine the blow up at our house when the older daughter discovered that her sister had been secretly reading her diary. The drama level at the house escalated from the normal 4 to a 10. Our oldest daughter was furious and obviously upset. When our 9-year-old realized that she had hurt her sister, she began to feel guilt and shame. “Daddy, I am such a bad person!” I responded, “Just because you did a bad thing does not make you a bad person. As your father, I will always love you, no matter what!”

The hurtful things, the heart-breaking things, the arrogant things, the unjust things we have done are done, and we can’t undo them. The only way we can deal with past hurts and sins that haunt us is to open the door to Jesus. As Paul said, “you are God’s child.” Nothing we can ever do will change that fact.

Pray

God, help us to open ourselves to your forgiveness and to feel your love. Allow your wonderful grace to flow over us. Amen

Go with God.