Devotion - 3 September - Bear One Another's Burdens

A brief prayer is offered that you can add to your daily prayers this week. The scripture is from our Sunday Service Bulletin. Today, on the weekend of Labor Day, we conclude our summer sermon series on Galatians with the topic of bearing one another’s burdens.

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.5 For each will have to bear his own load. 6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. 11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which[b] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Recall that the Galatian Christians were being misled by the Judaizers, and they were trying to obey the Mosaic laws to make sure of their salvation. We all know that life is tough enough without worrying about obeying 600 plus burdensome religious laws. The more the Galatians got loaded down on obeying the old laws the more the Judaizers enjoyed it because they had the satisfaction of knowing they were getting their way. In today’s text, Paul gets right to the heart of the matter in Verse 2.  He is saying take that extra weight off your fellow Christians and help them. That is a simple Law to follow but it requires love for one another to do it. I like the way Paul is hammering home the opposite view of the Judaizers. He is saying “Throw out all those old laws and love and help one another just like Jesus did and how he taught us to do.” I think we should try to live our lives remembering Verse 10: “..as we have the opportunity, let us do good to everyone and especially to those of the household of faith”. I hope you have enjoyed the devotions on Paul’s letter to the Galatians. In the next two months, we will devote sermon and devotion time to discuss how to make disciples, I think that you may make some personal discoveries as we go down that road.