Quiet Time in Galatians 4
- Filip
- Apr 26, 2022
- 4 min read
EXPAND TO READ: GALATIANS 4 (HCSB)
1 Now I say that as long as the heir is a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the owner of everything. 2 Instead, he is under guardians and stewards until the time set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elemental forces of the world. 4 When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians
8 But in the past, when you didn’t know God, you were enslaved to things that by nature are not gods. 9 But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and bankrupt elemental forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? 10 You observe special days, months, seasons, and years. 11 I am fearful for you, that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted.
12 I beg you, brothers: Become like me, for I also became like you. You have not wronged me; 13 you know that previously I preached the gospel to you because of a physical illness. 14 You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you. On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.
15 What happened to this sense of being blessed you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 They are enthusiastic about you, but not for any good. Instead, they want to isolate you so you will be enthusiastic about them. 18 Now it is always good to be enthusiastic about good—and not just when I am with you. 19 My children, I am again suffering labor pains for you until Christ is formed in you. 20 I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you.
Sarah and Hagar: Two Covenants
21 Tell me, those of you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman. 23 But the one by the slave was born according to the impulse of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born as the result of a promise. 24 These things are illustrations, for the women represent the two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery—this is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:
Rejoice, childless woman, who does not give birth. Burst into song and shout, you who are not in labor, for the children of the desolate are many, more numerous than those of the woman who has a husband.
28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as then the child born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, so also now. 30 But what does the Scripture say?
Drive out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a coheir with the son of the free woman.
31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verse 9): Oh boy how I have struggled with this verse since coming to faith. I have come to know God many times since coming to faith and I have seen You in so many aspects of my life, yet for some reason I still give into temptation and the flesh. Please forgive me for my weakness, Father. Forgive me for not being fully committed and dependent on You at all times. Forgive me for often regressing in my faith due to my own selfish desires and weaknesses. Remind me in those moments that I want to regress, like You did this morning, that my life through You is far better than any life my flesh can produce. By myself I am weak, but with You I am stronger than anything this life may present to me. As long as I remember to allow You into my heart through all things and I lean on You in those moments of weakness, then together we can overcome any obstacles. Thank You, Father, for always having the best for me in mind, even if I am an immature and rebellious type that doesn’t always want to do things Your way.
PROMISE (verses 4-7): I know I have heard of, journaled, and spoken of this promise before but it still amazes me every time I read it. I guess You keep repeating this promise to me because I still struggle to this day to fully and truly accept it as my internal truth. The promise here is that we are adopted as Your son through our faith. You promise us that You have sent us the Spirit of Your Son into our hearts so that we are no longer slaves of this life or our past, rather we are a son of God and an heir through God. Thank You “Abba Father” for this amazing promise that I am still learning to grasp and embrace in my life. Continue to remind me that my identity is a child of God and not a child of this broken world. Continue to work in my heart to soften it enough to truly embrace this identity so that when I walk in this world, I walk with the confidence that I am a child of God and nothing this world may throw in my path will ever change that.
ATTITUDE (verses 6-7): Help me to truly embrace the attitude that Jesus puts into our heart with the words “Abba, Father.” Help me to put behind me my past misconceptions of a father, so that I can truly embrace You being my Father, my Abba. Remind me that You are not my Father in the way of earthly fathers, but of perfection; the way a father in this life is supposed to be towards us—loving, caring, joyful, occasional discipline when needed, gracious, wise, the perfect teacher. Help me to walk this life in a way that I truly embrace an attitude that You are my Abba and nothing this world may throw in my path can hinder that attitude and feeling.
COMMAND (verses 17-18): These two verses may not be a direct command to us, but maybe more so words of caution to adhere to. You tell us that there will be people enthusiastic about us and/or things for us, but not necessarily in a good way. You tell us that it’s okay to be enthusiastic about good, but to throw caution to the wind to ensure we are not being deceived by the enemy into becoming enthusiastic about things that are not good. You warn us that there will be people that want to isolate us from Your goodness, so that we are focused on them. Please help me to discern these moments, Father, so that I do not get caught up in isolation again. I have been there for quite some time and the last thing I want to do is go back to that isolation.
EXAMPLE (verses 28-31): The example You give us here is so very relevant, but also extremely eye-opening. You tell us that there are two sons born—one of the flesh and one of the Spirit. I feel that this is an example of our own internal battles and struggles. We are constantly in a battle inside ourselves as we are maturing in our faith trying to prevent our flesh-born self from persecuting the Spirit-born self. We are constantly reminded and persecuted by the flesh of our past in a way that attempts to keep us as slaves to the flesh. You remind us, however, that we are no longer slaves of our flesh, our past, our mistakes, our sin, or anything this life has thrown at us or will throw at us. We are born of the free woman according to the Spirit and are coheirs to His throne. We must build our relationship with You to maturity, so that we can “drive out the slave and her son” from within us in order to no longer be persecuted as slaves of our past, our mistakes, our doubt, our sin, and our weaknesses. Thank You so much for this amazing example and insight into the story of Abraham’s sons, Father. I never saw it like this before, but I am so grateful that I was ready to receive it in this way today.
*DAILY NOTE: You are really speaking loudly to me through the book of Galatians, Father. I guess You didn’t have me read this sooner because I wasn’t ready to receive it properly. Thank You so much for all the lessons, counsel, and conviction You’ve given me today. Thank You especially for the example You’ve given me about Abraham’s children. I never saw this story in this way, so I am grateful for what You have revealed to me today. Help me to be better at righteous discernment, so that I know when the son of the flesh is persecuting the son of the Spirit. Help me to be better at discerning when I must lean on You more to prevent the son of the flesh from enslaving me again. Continue Your works in me, Father, so that I may truly embrace both the son of the Spirit You have birthed me into, but also so that I may embrace living this life as Your son and You as my Abba, Father.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
I always "sandwich" my quiet time with God in prayer and do it in a location that I will not have any distractions so that I can be focused on my quiet time with God. Do not worry about how short or long your journal entries are for that day's quiet time. Just focus on the actual quiet time and relational conversation with God through the Holy Spirit and His Word. The journaling is an enhancement to your quiet time conversation with God, but also to allow you to reflect on things later as you can look back on your journal entries later when you do the chapters again in the future to see how you have grown. See the FAQ for more detail on how I do my quiet time.
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