As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts (Jenni Clarkson):

Well, this controversial little ditty from the apostle Paul is known in one of our SoulShift classes as the “castration passage.” In the NRSV, verse 12 very plainly states, “I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves!” It can, in fact, be a bit unsettling to be reading along in your Bible and come across that. Harsh doesn’t begin to cover it. To say that Paul was angry; well, that hardly covers it either. Then Paul has the nerve to say in verse 14, “…the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Paul, Paul, Paul, aren’t you being a little hypocritical here? Good grief, man, first you say these particular neighbors should castrate themselves, and then you say to us we should love our neighbors!

I find this to be an annoyingly difficult passage. Still, somehow I find it comforting. If the apostle Paul can go on a rant like that and still be “the apostle” Paul, then maybe there’s hope for me yet. If God can work through hot-headed Paul, surely God can also work through me.

I believe that the Scriptures are God-inspired. Still, God chose to work through human beings. I marvel at that. It amazes me how God works through faltering, stumbling, hot-headed humans to act out God’s will.

Then I turn the pages over to Philippians to read my favorite words from Paul. It makes me smile to think that the same man who wrote the “castration passage” also wrote these words, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:4-7)

Thought for the day: God can work through me, even me.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts (Pam Beutler):

When we were young, our parents set out rules for us to follow. For me, being raised in downtown Chicago in the 50’s, my parents feared that I could be abducted or get hit by a car — so I could not cross from one city block to another without permission ’til I was 10. Another rule was not to drink coffee because it would stunt my growth. There were curfews on weekends, family rosary on Saturday and household chores. Rules were important in my youth, not as important as I grew, yet transforming as I took my part in society.

You find many rules in the Old Testament. Often uneducated and nomadic, Israel needed rules to keep an organized security not just for their souls, but also for their health and the structure of a mobile society.

Jesus came at a time to change many of these rules and add a new law — one of love and acceptance of all, something unfamiliar to a caste system in early Israel. Rules of Moses’ time no longer were needed in Jesus’ vision of a new society — a society where all are servants, rich or poor, taking care of everyone, letting no one go hungry or unclothed. God was always the focus — that had not changed — but how humanity related to each other and God did. God became our Father, and an intimate relationship was formed for all people, not a chosen few. God’s temple was open to men, women and children.

God’s promise has always been Eden for us. Every one in unison again — loving one another and the earth, as God created it, living in harmony with all God’s creatures. It is so easy to oppress to gain control. Love knows no boundaries and doesn’t seek to control — or does it? Were my parent’s rules without love? It was that structure that got me to where I am today. This is much like God the Father in the Old Testament. God’s rules were to get us to Jesus, the New Covenant, and a journey back to Eden.

Thought for the day: Rules are not to be broken but transformed.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts (Morgan Stewart):

Our scripture today mentions the word covenant. Although this word loosely translates as “promise”, it is a word rich with meaning throughout the Bible — especially to signify an important pledge or vow between God and an individual. Have you ever made a covenant or sincere promise to someone?

Anytime I hear the word “promise”, I’m reminded of an event I witnessed firsthand when I attended a wedding rehearsal several years ago. With attendants watching, the minister asked the bride, “Do you promise to love, honor and obey this man, your husband, for all time?” We were all stunned when she deviated from the anticipated “I do” response to answer tartly, “Love and honor I can go along with, but not obey!” We all had a good laugh, but I applauded the young woman for not making a promise she didn’t intend to keep.

The passage for today mentions a promise made by God to Abraham, to be kept for all times. Even though Abraham was very old and childless, God made an unconditional promise of blessings through Abraham’s seed. To human ears, this promise seemed unlikely — nearly ludicrous — yet God delivered.

So just how many of these great promises do you think are in the Bible? Many Bible scholars claim there are thousands. The disciple Peter calls these “precious” promises. Precious, indeed. If God promises, God will do it! We have to be like Abraham — fully persuaded that what God has promised will be delivered.

Thought for the day: What God Hath Promised by Annie Johnson Flint

God hath not promised skies always blue, flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain, joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

God hath not promised we shall not know, toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear, many a burden, many a care.

God hat not promised smooth roads and wide, swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain rocky and steep, never a river, turbid and deep.

But God hath promised strength for the day, rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above, unfailing sympathy, undying love.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

We’ve just finished our study of the Gospel of Mark, and we’ll begin a new theme in Be Still and Know on September 1. The next three weeks will be “Variety Weeks” — a little of this, and a little of that. Enjoy!

Today’s Scripture: Galatians 5:16-26 (ESV text and audio) (KJV) (The Message)

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me in this passage? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts on this passage (Tyler Connoley):

As I read over the lists of fruit in Galatians 5, I can’t help but think of the movie musical Little Shop of Horrors. In that movie, a plant fanatic named Seymour Krelborn finds an unusual plant at a little shop in China Town and takes it home. Unfortunately, the plant isn’t doing very well. So, as any good movie-musical character would do, he sings the plant a ballad. Here are some of the lyrics:

I’ve given you southern exposure to get you to thrive.
I’ve pinched you back hard, like I’m s’posed ta.
You’re barely alive.
I’ve tried you at levels of moisture from desert to mud.
I’ve given you grow-lights and mineral supplements.
What do you want from me, blood?

When we find ourselves not producing the fruits of the spirit (or producing the fruits of the flesh), our first response is usually to reprimand ourselves and say something like, “I’ve got to be more peaceful!” But that’s not helpful, and usually just makes us less peaceful. On the other hand, when Seymour Krelborn had a plant that wouldn’t thrive, his first response was to see if maybe it was planted in the wrong kind of soil or getting the wrong kind of food. Did it need more sun? Less water? He knew enough about plants to know that simply saying, “Produce fruit!” was not the answer.

When we find ourselves not experiencing God’s peace, love, or gentleness, the cause is probably located in one of these spiritual areas: soil, food, or water. It’s not that we need more willpower, but probably that we need more of God’s sun in our lives. Perhaps we’re drowning ourselves in non-spiritual pursuits. Or could it be we’ve planted ourselves in bad soil? Or maybe we simply need some grow-lights and supplements for our soul. Whatever it is, when we get what we need spiritually, the fruits of the spirit will naturally follow, just as a plant properly tended naturally thrives and grows fruit.

Thought for the day: Where in your life are the places that you need to reground yourself in God? What spiritual supplement do you need to grow and be spiritually healthy today?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

As you read, consider these questions: What might God be saying to me in this passage? What jumps out at me? At the end of the reading, try to summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two before reading on.

My thoughts on this passage (Robert Ferguson):

Do you remember the first time you heard the story of Jesus? Where were you when you heard of his birth, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection? Perhaps you were a child in Sunday school class or a toddler sitting at the knee of an elder. Maybe you were a teenager that first time you heard of the greatest sacrifice of all. Were you excited? Baffled? Mystified? I remember thinking, “Is it really such a simple plan?”

In today’s reading, Paul is writing a letter to the church of Galatia. Paul and other church leaders have preached here before and helped to start and grow all of the churches in this part of the world. He reminds them that he shared with them the one true gospel. However, since he has left “others” have come in to the church and confused and complicated the message. Somehow the church had forgotten the original plan as Paul had preached it.

The original plan was so simple. God created us and God loves us. God’s desire for us is that we be reconciled back to our creator. To that end, Jesus, the son of God, made the ultimate sacrifice and gave his life so that we may dwell forever with the creator. All we have to do is believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and we shall have eternal life and peace with God.

Somehow things got all complicated and twisted around. Man started making up rules and regulations — stipulations and fine print to the original gospel of Jesus Christ. Often these restrictions are created to further some individual agenda or oppress a particular group of people. Everyone wants to be God’s favorite people. Everyone claims to have the inside track on how to win God’s heart. But God told us in the beginning all that was required of us — faith in Jesus Christ.

As Christians and people of God, Paul warns the church of Galatia (and us) to be leery of those who preach a gospel different from what we were taught in the beginning. The way to God is through Jesus. It has become a very popular notion that we can earn our way into heaven. Sitting on committees and volunteering for every ministry team, we think, will buy us a ticket to eternity. But good works flow from a heart already filled with God’s grace — not the other way around.

God has a plan for your life and a desire for you to have peace. That is a powerful thought — to know that the infinite God cares enough about little old me to make the ultimate sacrifice. Surely God is worthy of my praise.

God understands that we haven’t been perfect and that we make mistakes and do things that are sometimes just plain wrong, but through this simple plan we are offered freedom. Thanks be to God! We are not burdened by the mistakes and missteps of our past. In Christ we are brand new creatures, free to live life to its fullest.

Stay with the simple plan. Keep it simple and remember, God desires peace for us.

Thought for the day: Am I making my spiritual life more complicated than it has to be?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me in this passage? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two before reading on.

My thoughts (Deb Doty):

Have you ever walked across a parking lot on a frosty evening, hurrying to your car, eager to escape the wind? You notice your boots leave a fresh path in the snow dust as you scurry across the last few feet to your car. You’re fumbling in your pocket with your gloved hands to find your keys when BAM! Suddenly another part of your anatomy is making an impression in the snow.

It’s too late, but you notice the patchy black ice and its crazy quilt pattern peeking out here and there from under the snow. If you’d only stepped an inch to the right, you wouldn’t be sitting in the middle of a parking lot feeling foolish. But you made a false step.

The Greek word translated “transgression” or “sin” in verse 1 could also be translated “false step.” Isn’t sin like that sometimes? You’re walking along, feeling fine, everything’s under control and BAM! Suddenly you’ve taken a tumble. It was that doggone false step on the ice. If only….

Any one of us can take a false step at any time and land on our backside. When we think we’re immune, we’re walking across that icy parking lot in the dark with sunglasses on. It’s almost a sure thing we won’t see the ice until we suddenly see it up close and personal—and painfully so.

Since even the most sure-footed of us can fall, it isn’t unusual to come across someone sitting in the parking lot, wondering how on earth they will ever get back to their feet with all the hidden ice just waiting to bring them back down. That’s when we fight the urge to lecture them about being more careful and we go over and help them up, being careful not to fall ourselves. When we remember our pain and realize our vulnerability, we will be gentle with them. And together we’ll make it to the car.

Thought for the day: Don’t leave someone sitting in the cold — help them up!

Today, let’s join together in prayer for: The Monday and Tuesday Couples Oasis Groups, and their leaders, Stan Lyford-Jones (Tuesday) and Paul Hancock (Monday) and the new Singles Oasis, and that group’s leaders, Les Prout and Kim Opsahl.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. Use the item above as a starting point, or consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.