March 17 - Galatians 4:8-11

March 17 - Galatians 4:8-11

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

There was nothing more difficult for me to hear than the words, “I’m disappointed in you” come out of my parent’s mouths.  Mom didn’t ground me, she didn’t send me to my room (except when we were children and she desperately needed to separate the noise), she and Dad simply expressed their disappointment and it was so profound that I did everything possible to avoid doing that to them.

I can not imagine what must have happened for the Galatians to receive this type of reprimand from Paul.  But it seems as if these people had turned back from worshiping God to the worship of either pagan gods that were all around them or were being influenced by the local Jewish groups to turn away from Jesus and move into bondage to the Law.

The special days and months, seasons and years echo many of the Jewish and pagan festivals.  Everything from New Moon festivals to Rosh Hashanah and the year of Jubilee.

Paul is speaking to us as well.  We find it just as easy to get caught up in the world around us as did the Galatians and set aside our relationship with God.  Oh, it’s always there in the back of our minds, but we don’t let it bother us when we’re busy with other things.

Paul wants it to bother us.  He wants to remind us that God notices when we’re too busy with the multitude of things going on around us.  He cared for the Galatians enough to give them the “I’m disappointed in you” talk and if he were here today, he would care enough for each of us to do the same.