Why Me Again?

Galatians 5:18 “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” For the past couple years I’ve listened to the audio bible when I hit the hay. I feel great that words of wisdom get imprinted on my heart each night as I slip into unconsciousness. But I find it’s even more helpful when I’m having a hard time sleeping. I can feel “productive” by soaking in his word rather than tossing and turning. Either I sleep or I spend time with God, and neither of those options are half bad. The other night I was listening to Galatians 5 and verse 18 caught my attention. “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” That seems like a funny thing to say, and somewhat dangerous when you’re trying to keep a church full of new believers away from harm. It’s easier to have some guardrails in black and white than to leave each situation up for interpretation. But this morning it dawned on me that this might be more an issue of the heart than of behavior. In our house we have a rule that one of us prays before each meal, and the boys often shy away when it’s their turn. “Ohhhh why me again? I just did it!” We’ll respond with the same answer every time. “It’s not that you HAVE to pray, it’s that you GET to pray.” The Spirit will never tell you to do something counter to the word. But if we are led by the Spirit, our actions overflow from internal rather than external influence. “I will put my law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Lord, I have a tendency to get legalistic about my own walk. I don’t want a relationship with the rules. I want a relationship with you. We have faith that our boys will jump at the opportunity to pray someday. Until then, help us to model what a Spirit-led life looks like. In Jesus’ name, Amen.