-Such a strange language, English. How two so similar words can have such dissimilar meanings. One noun is the presence of something wonderful and special (dessert), spelled almost the same yet pronounced differently than the other noun (desert), which pretty much means the absence of anything, whereas the corresponding verb (to desert) is pronounced the same as the first noun. No matter - woe to the one who does the deserting. Generally speaking, if the cause is not unjust, deserting is a disgrace, punishable sometimes even by death. Indeed, in many armies and in times of war, deserters will be shot! What of those who desert almighty God?
-These Galatians actually were deserting God, quickly beginning to fall under and follow a different teaching than what they learned from Paul, a different way of how to relate and connect to the Lord, a way contrary to the way of grace. But truly it is the way of grace which is different, the road less traveled, and (sadly) few are those who find (and remain on) it. No, the huddled masses estranged from their Creator and steeped in the various religions of the world all do have one thing in common - grace is not a thing. They all are working their way (back) to God, into His good graces, or trying, vainly trying to earn His un-earnable favor and somehow expiate or eliminate their own misdeeds through ‘good’ deeds (which even at their best are merely filthy rags - Isaiah 64.4). But grace flies in the face of these. It is favor, acceptance, love, forgiveness, mercy which is UN-deserved. God gives His favor freely to those who believe the Gospel, the Good Message about God’s grace-gift of His Son. It is the dessert of life, the frosting, the whipped cream and cherry on top - the best part, often saved for last, after we've tried everything else, exhausted all other ways to God. No need to wait, however - why not dig into the dessert of God's amazing grace sooner rather than later?
-And let there be no mistake, no human transaction, this. This was not some horizontal exchange of ideas, some earthly effort on Paul’s part to convince these folks of the veracity of his beliefs. No, theirs (and ours) is a heavenly call. And no land lines either - this is the original wireless. We’re talking about a spiritual phone call straight from the throne room of heaven, direct from almighty God Himself. We’re holding His telegram (of the Gospel in Scripture) in our hands (or someone - like Paul - is reading/explaining it to us), and God rings us up, dials up our soul, and says, ‘I love you, and sent My Son to die for you. Come home to Me with your whole heart. Only believe, and you will be saved.’ So simple, so easy - almost too easy for some. It feels like there must be something more to it, some work which I need to do. This then is the native impulse of fallen man, wired from the womb to work unrighteousness as well as to try and work that off to earn favorable standing with God. And yet for Paul, it is still amazing that one who appeared to genuinely respond to this divine call of grace, free favor, would ever abandon that, much less do so quickly and for a worse offer at that...! Deserter - may we find the grace to not ever earn that title...
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