Friday within the Octave of the Feast of the Holy Trinity
Posted on June 4, 2021 by under
Scripture: Galatians 4:1-7 (NKJV)
4:1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Devotion
It is valuable to consider today’s reading in context. St. Paul uses the idea of children to teach the Church about our proper relationship with God. But the previous chapter ends by talking about being “sons of God through faith,” about Baptism, and about a proper understanding of Abraham and the promises given to him.
We can call God “our Father” only because we are sons and daughters through Baptism and faith. Any false teacher or uninformed person can speak about “Father God” or recite the words of our Lord’s Prayer, but if they do not have faith that comes from the Spirit of Truth, then they are just using (or misusing) words. They are still in slavery to sin.
The Church throughout the ages faithfully calls out to the one God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is true and just that we are called slaves, because we were put in bondage by our earthly mother and father when they listened to the Serpent. But God also raised people out of earthly bondage in order to teach us that He will restore us according to His own power and truth. Abraham and his true children were righteous by faith; they were free because of God! That is still true in the Christian Church, as we are sons and daughters of the promise that Christ Jesus crushed the Serpent and gives us freedom and everlasting life by His own power and mercy.
Prayer: Almighty and Everlasting God, who hast given unto us, Thy servants, grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity, we beseech Thee that Thou wouldst keep us steadfast in this faith and evermore defend us from all adversities. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
