Galatians 5:22-23 But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. Against such things, there is no law. (NIV)
When I read about the fruits of the Holy Spirit, I
quickly realize how shallow I am and that despite my best intentions, I can
never display all of these blessings on any given day. I recognize my sinful shortcomings
and become fully aware that I am usually to blame for the scarcity of these
beautiful fruits in my life. I resolve to try harder to bear these gifts and
share them with others, but then something or someone annoys me and I end up
withering the fruits of Spirit by smothering them with my own pride and selfish
ways.
When Paul was writing to the Galatian Christians, he knew
that they were also suffering from this spiritual deficit. They were undergoing
an internal conflict which had the potential of disrupting the whole
congregation. Paul’s letter was sent to remind them of the gifts of the Spirit
that had initially been experienced among them. He was hoping to encourage the Galatians
to rediscover common ministries, missions, and purposes among them which would
unite them again and make their witness to the wider community effective. They
could not do this by themselves or with their own strength; they had to get
back to relying on God and depending on the presence of the Holy Spirit in
their lives, as well as their congregation.
In these days of spiritual turmoil in our churches and
denominational divisions, Paul’s message about the fruits of the Spirit is as
relevant now as it was way back then. When we sincerely seek the presence of
the Holy Spirit among us then we are given an authentic calling to go out into
the wider community in order to show and share those beautiful gifts -
love, joy,
peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control - to a broken world
which needs those fruits to be healed of all the fear and fragmentation which
is dividing our people and desolating our planet.
Point to ponder
Which fruit of the Spirit could be most effective in
my life at this time? Am I willing to ask and wait for the Spirit to work this
gift into my life?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You promised to send Your Holy
Spirit to us to build up our faith and our churches. Help us to seek the sacred
fruits which the Spirit can offer, so we may support one another and reach out
to the wider community. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask
questions or make comments about today’s message, please send John an email to Traqair@aol.com.
Today’s image is one of
John’s Pentecost drawings called “Celtic Flame.” If you would like to view a
larger version, click this link: Flame.
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