Main Text: Galatians 6:7-16 (Isaiah 66:10-14; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20)
In order to live God’s love, it is imperative that we can identify God’s love. God is love, but not all love is from God. When our first love is not God, then our love can become in conflict with God’s love. God’s love is expansive and seeks the good of all. Our love can be limited. This limited love can lead to conflict, rather than unity. One example is our love of country. Can we love our country differently than God does? What does our limited love of country lead to and how is that different then God’s love of country? We say, “one nation under God,” but what happens when we place country above God. God clearly revealed Love through Jesus Christ who embodied God’s love. This reading from Isaiah is the last verses of this book of prophesy. It comes following the fall of the nation. Remember what happened to Israel? God’s blessings were meant to flow into the whole world, but their fear and love of country separated them from God’s will. They were no longer working for the good of all, but rather the self-protection of what they already had. Nevertheless, at the end of this devastation God still proclaims prosperity. The letter to the Galatians reminds them and us that no matter what you see, we are a new creation in Jesus Christ. To believe this, is to form your life not based upon the narrow and restrictive sense of love that we see. We are called to live God’s love. This means that our works are to reflect this faith in Jesus Christ. We are called to work for the good of all and extend that invitation to all. How is your life formed? Are you formed around your faith? Do your works reflect this love?