COMPASSIONATE GOD
- Key Verse
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law . . . But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Gal 5:18, 22-25, NASB)
READ THE PASSAGE
Central Truth
We are gifted beyond comprehension with His presence and love.
Reflections
There is a large painting in our home my mother gave me. Its scene displays a prominent tree in the foreground jutting out over a serene lake with a mountain rising on the other side. Scattered cumulus clouds mask what I always thought was the moon attempting to lighten the bleakness of the night. After having the painting for some time, my children revealed they perceived a sun shining bright behind the ethereal wisps of moisture. I was shocked to hear their perceptions. Dark and light were our views, yet both saw beauty in the artist’s creation. Through both the darkness and brokenness of this world and the holiness and purity of our Lord’s presence in its midst can be seen beauty emanating from His creation and design for all things.
In Galatians the contrast between evil and good is striking and convicting -- adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, and reveling versus love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I taste both the earthly and heavenly in my spiritual journey. I am a man immersed in sin and grace. God’s constant presence is in my plummets into the depths of darkness. He enters the abyss and fills it with His all, replacing the black void of my life like a beautiful flower unfolding and blossoming to overwhelm my evil with His loving grace. The hopeless sinner becomes the saint eternal. Even in our desperate desires for the world’s futile offerings, we as Christians can sense the reality of His Spirit. He loves us, no matter our state, and gives us the freedom to fail and always loves us back in to His embrace. God is so very good.
Discussion Questions
- How do you react against or respond towards God when you sin?
- Do you have the freedom to allow God to bring a trusted spiritual companion into your life to share your failures and victories? Why or why not?
- In what ways can you act to allow the depths of your soul to be touched and healed by our Lord and Saviour?
Gary Brandenburg
March 8, 2010 09:17 AM
Thanks for the beautiful description of the Christian journey Michael. Darkness and brokenness; holiness and purity. The flesh and the Spirit doing battle until our day of deliverance.
Jo Ann
March 8, 2010 11:17 AM
I loved your comments!The Fruit of the Spirit is my VERY favorite verses in the New Testament. My entire kitchen was done with pictures of it. I get to look at them every day. That was very meaningful description.
jgarellano
March 8, 2010 03:32 PM
Michael, you’ve highlighted a poignant point of the Christian life for me. As your key verse states, I’m constantly trying to “live by the Spirit” so I can “walk by the Spirit.” Thanks for walking with us in our journeys.