October 18, 2023 - Galatians 4-6

The fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (5:22,23). Paul writes that these are gifts of the Spirit, that is, they are the natural fruits of a Spirit filled life. As children of God, we come by these attributes naturally. They are what we are in Christ. Yet, it seems good to keep these traits in mind and to strive for them, or certainly strive to see strengthened what is already ours. Though we are not yet what, one day, we will be, we are not what we once were. This Wednesday morning, it is good that we pray that God works in us, today, that we would love as he loves, that we would look more and more like our Savior.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

fill me with life anew,

that I may love the way you love,

and do what you would do.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

until my heart is pure,

until my will is one with yours,

to do and to endure.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

so shall I never die,

but live with you the perfect life

for all eternity. -- Edwin Hatch (1878)