God’s Part – My Part

Reading: Galatians 3; Psalm 105 The obvious impossibility of carrying out such a moral program should make it plain that no one can sustain a relationship with God that way. The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. Habakkuk had it right: “The person who believes God, is set right by God—and that’s the real life.” (Galatians 3:11 MSG) Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you! Part of my struggle with my life as a Christ-follower is that I tend to blur and confuse the line between what God has done for me (Loved me, forgave me, accepted me, adopted me as his dear child!) and what I can and should do for God (Gratefully love, serve, obey, and trust him!) What God has done for you and me is sheer love and grace. What we do for God is a grateful response to his gift of grace and never an attempt to earn his favor!

Some things that become very clear to me every time I read Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches: 1) This is not a new issue; 2) If I get caught up in the rat-race of trying to do God’s part, it’s no way to sustain a relationship with him. 3) The problem with religion is that it confuses God’s part and our part of the relationship! Let’s be clear on this, at least for the moment… • God’s Part: He loves me while I’m still stuck in the pig-pen of my sin. He personally paid the price for my sin and so he owns my sin now. Then he forgives my sin. Then he adopts me into his “faith family” and gives me every right and privilege as his beloved child. He then gives me his Holy Spirit, and through his Spirit, the gift of purpose-filled living. • My Part: Believe it. Receive it. Be thankful. Live it like I was born to it. And stay out of the pig-pen! Prayer: Father, Thanks. Thanks for doing the God Part. Help me do My Part more joyfully and with a greater realization that you’re my loving Father and I’m your much-loved child. Amen.