Day Fifteen. January 24. Galatians 4:1-7
In this first part of Galatians 4, Paul continues to explain the role the law played in Israel’s life, before the coming of Jesus. The law, Paul says, was like a guardian, keeping us in check until the coming of Jesus, who would then write the law on our hearts by leaving us His Spirit. Ezekiel, centuries before Christ, points to this amazing day in Ezekiel 36:26: “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” Always, those under the Old Testament law, looked forward to Messiah. With the coming of Jesus, the new spirit in our heart became reality with the gift of the Holy Spirit!
Let’s look at one other passage. This one is from John, when Jesus is cheering up the disciples who did not like hearing that He was leaving them. I’m going to quote from the Amplified Bible, because the Greek word, “paraclete” is an amazing word with many nuances. It’s one of the words used to describe the Holy Spirit. Here we are from John 16:7. “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor – Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you].” Basically, if Jesus didn’t leave, we would have to line up to see Him as He was physically limited on earth to a body that was anchored in one place at a time. When He left and sent His Spirit, all of a sudden, all of us became His temple and He dwelled within each one of us who believe.
This is SO special. It means if I am locked away someday in a dark dungeon, I am not alone. Even there, the Spirit is not only nearby, but He is also in me. With me. That close! The law told us how to behave until Jesus freed us from the penalty of death and sin and entered us through the Person of the Holy Spirit to instruct us internally. What a phenomenal gift and mystery! I’ll never fully understand it, but every time I grasp a little more, I am amazed all over again.
I love that when the right time came, God sent His Son. Sometimes we don’t want to wait for the “right time” or as some translations put it, “the fullness of time.” But God knew just when to send His Son. God chose when each of us would be born and placed us in His perfect timeline. We are so blessed to be in this church age, where the Spirit lives within us. Hallelujah!
My verse: Galatians 4:6 “And because we are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father.”
My response: The privilege to be Your beloved child! The incredible intimacy You encourage. Oh, Abba-Father, I’m in awe that You call me that close. It’s my greatest joy to come to You.
