Wednesday 02 January 2008

Background

There are plenty of words or phrases that need unpacking intoday's reading!

'The fullness of time'(v.4) (or right time) refersperhaps to that moment when various factors combined to make itopportune for God to send God's own son. Roman roads with guards toprotect them and the common use of the Greek and Roman languagemade communication easier. The old mythical gods were losing theirhold and the law of Moses had done its work so that women and menwere hungry for a religion that could satisfy and set free.

'Redeem' (v.5) can either mean to 'set free'(perhaps a slave set free by a generous owner) or to 'buy back'what is rightfully yours (say, from a pawnshop). But in either caseGod sends God's own Son to do what humankind cannot do foritself.

'Adopt' (v.5) A member of a Sunday Schoolwhere I was minister was being made fun of at his Junior School forbeing adopted. Eventually he could stand it no more. "Well at leastmy parents chose me!" he said. "Yours had to take what they weregiven!" In the same way Paul (who wrote this letter to theGalatians) reminds us God has made a deliberate choice to bring usinto God's own his family and to call us God's own children.

'Abba' (v.6) is an Aramaic word nearer to'Daddy' than 'Father' in English. It suggests the intimaterelationship that God now shares with us through redemption andadoption.

'Heir' (v.7) What Christ inherited as a son,we also inherit as God's children - the power of the Holy Spirit,the riches of grace and the promise of eternal life.

A good foundation for a new year eh?

To Ponder

Does God always come at the right time?

If each child of God is precious, how should thataffect the way we think and act towards others? Does it?