About a month and a half ago, I met with our next steps director at church to talk about getting plugged in at Journey. We ended up discussing spending time with God and reading the bible. Lisa challenged me to not just have a quiet time, (which I've struggled with for quite sometime...I'm a time hog and I don't make the time for God that I should.) but to take some time to read God's word and use that as a tool for my time with him. I've done many bible studies, read many great books, but I've come to believe that God has so much more for us than just the Christian resources out there. Of course they are great sources in helping you grow in a relationship with Christ, but reading straight from his word and really studying the meaning of scripture has really opened my eyes.
In Lisa's challenge, she told me to begin by picking a book of the bible that I've read before and really read it word for word and pray for understanding from God. It doesn't matter where you start, God has a new challenge for us daily. I began with Galatians, it's taken me most of the summer to read. God has shown me the challenge Paul is writing about to the churches of Galatia and it's relation to where I am in life right now.
This morning I read Galatians 6:21-30, in this passage Paul is comparing Abraham's wives (the slave wife, Hagar & Sarah, his wife) He uses this as an illustration of freedom in Christ vs. slavery of the law. I can relate to this today. There are so many people in life that try to get you to live by the laws of Christianity, you know...the ones so many church goers have made up. As Christians, we are not bound to a law. We are set free in Christ, to serve him & to live our lives for him. We were made to worship him with our lives, not to follow some rules. Christians are free, guys WE ARE FREE IN CHRIST. Of course we aren't perfect, Christians aren't called to be perfect but...WE ARE FREE because of what HE DID FOR US! Our lives should be more than just going to church, trying to be perfect (newsflash...we never will be, only he is), and occasionally sharing the gospel. Our lives are meant to love God and share God's love with people. (Matt. 22:37-29)
Matt and I have been really praying about how we can do this in our new area...I could write a whole other blog post on this. Maybe I will, but by reading Galatians this summer I've learned a lot about my freedom as a Christian. I am so thankful for the loving God who gave his life for me. To call me his daughter and give me a life on this earth...the same man that conquered the grave, lives in me. I can't even imagine his greatness, he is so great. I have such a long way to go & to grow. I pray that I am not bound by the law, the rules people make up, but that I continue to strive to live my life free in Christ, giving him my all daily!
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