How would you answer Paul’s question? “Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses?” I’m guessing, that is probably not a question you have been asked before. Acknowledging the Holy Spirit in our lives is key to testing our level of faith, whether we are hot or cold in terms of our spirituality. My question “are you feeling the burn?” refers then to the spark of the Holy Spirit igniting your heart and soul.
Paul is concerned here for his Christian friends in Galatia (and us). He knows that it’s easy for people to fall back into old patterns of living (following the law and believing they are saved by their works). In part, it’s because of the comfort zone effect. It’s what we know. Especially when we start to lose the fire or “burn” we felt when we first believed. We start to think something is wrong or that we should be acting in a certain way to get the spark back.
I loved Paul’s next question. “why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” I’m guilty of this, are you? For some reason I think that if I try to act holier or do more good deeds, than God is going to love me more. If I’m not feeling the “burn,” I start to think something is wrong, and I do “stuff” to start to feel it again. Our own human effort is not the answer.
Christians often feel like just having faith in Jesus is too easy. There must be more to it than that! The beauty of God’s grace is that it is free and gives us freedom from the chains that are holding us down. It is easy for us, only because of what Jesus has already done. The price Jesus paid was not easy. At all!
The gift of grace and empowerment of the Holy Spirit is not reserved for only a few people either. It is available to all. Jesus ushered in a new covenant with God. The Old Testament talks of God’s chosen people, the Jews. But the Good News of the New Testament is available to all, including Gentiles. Paul was appointed by Jesus himself to address the Gentiles because they hadn’t known God before. This was all new to them. God had opened up his kingdom to be inclusive to all people. That’s good news for us!
How can we be sure that the Holy Spirit is at work in us? If we have accepted the truth that Jesus sets us free, that he is the lord of our life, then the Holy Spirit is a fire burning inside us. Think of it like a pilot light. It’s always burning. We can call upon that power to ignite our lives and help us to burn brighter, help us to overcome an obstacle, help us to understand God’s plan for us, help us understand Scripture, and help us to live the life God has planned for us. What a gift!
When you begin to fall into the trap of overthinking the gospel and questioning God’s gift of grace, stop it! It’s important for us to realize it is not about what we do or say. Remember Paul’s words of encouragement. We are not given the Holy Spirit’s power because of what we do, “It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.”
How are you going to respond to God today?
Let’s pray … Lord, I am overcome once again by your mercy and love. The grace you give has freed me from the bondage of my sin and worry. Thank you for how you are manifesting your gifts in my life. I can feel the love, peace, and joy and celebrate your presence inside me. I do feel the burn and want to shine brightly for you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
