Tom's Weekly Devotional - 9.20.11


"For you, dear friends have been called to live in freedom--not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love.  For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'   But instead of showing love among yourselves you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out!  Beware of destroying one another.  Galatians 5:13-15
"Ouch!!", was all I could say.  It was a subconscious response to the wound that I had just received.  In this instance, however, it was not a hammer to my thumb, nor was it a stubbed toe on the dresser.  It was an attempt of a friend to be funny that went wrong.  Later, when we were by ourselves, I told them that I knew they didn't intend to hurt me, but that the words they spoke really stung.  They knew that and were very apologetic and both us are careful these days to speak well to and about each other.  There are times though when the challenging moments do not resolve that well.  Paul knew that full well when wrote the words above to the church in Galatia.
Biting, devouring and destroying are serious problems.  Eventually, no one will be left!  The root of the problem? Self.  Satisfying self.  You see, the sinful self doesn't have any problem leaving teeth marks in the backs of others.  Paul told them to watch out and beware.  He reminded them that they had been freed from self.  They can, because of Jesus, serve one another in love just like he did.  Freedom isn't about doing whatever I want whenever I want to.  Freedom is about giving one's self away.  O how liberating!!
Look for ways today to give yourself away.  When we do that, we don't have any time left to bite anyone else.  You see, it's not about us.  Never has been and never will be.

Grace and Peace,

Tom
Location: Fall Creek Christian Church, 1102 County Road 700 S, Pendleton, IN 46064-9090, USA

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