Today’s reading is from Paul’s letter to the Galatians. He writes:
You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.
How many times have you heard yourself saying this: “It all depends on me, but that’s okay. I can do it all on my own; I don’t need anyone’s help!” ? I have heard that refrain all too often in my life.
Paul reminds the Galatians and us that we cannot do it on our own. We cannot save ourselves by the mere following of the law, that is, by what we do. We cannot work ourselves into heaven. The only thing that counts, according to Paul, “is faith working through love.”
God, the giver of all good things and sustainer of life, always takes the first step through the gift of grace. He loves us when we are unlovable. He carries us even if we think we can do it on our own. He saves us when we are powerless to do so.
You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.
How many times have you heard yourself saying this: “It all depends on me, but that’s okay. I can do it all on my own; I don’t need anyone’s help!” ? I have heard that refrain all too often in my life.
Paul reminds the Galatians and us that we cannot do it on our own. We cannot save ourselves by the mere following of the law, that is, by what we do. We cannot work ourselves into heaven. The only thing that counts, according to Paul, “is faith working through love.”
God, the giver of all good things and sustainer of life, always takes the first step through the gift of grace. He loves us when we are unlovable. He carries us even if we think we can do it on our own. He saves us when we are powerless to do so.
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