This morning Paul is pushing the Galatians (GAL 3:1-5). He is asking do they believe in the law or Jesus more. I don’t know all the background but it sounds like the Galatians are falling back into the way of life they had before they heard about Jesus and His crucifixion for our sins and His rising from the dead.
I believe this is something we all face after we have experienced Christ in our lives. I found a closeness to God probably ten years ago at a CRHP retreat. Spending a weekend considering who God is to me changed my life. I came away super charged feeling like the evil in the world could never take me down. As Paul said “Are you so stupid?” Well guess what the super charged feeling lasted about 24-36 hours after the weekend ended. Then every bad habit I had came calling.
Paul is reminding the Galatians and us that when the bad habits come calling it is up to us to NOT fall back into them.
Luke in today’s Gospel (LK 11:5-13) tells of Jesus teaching the apostles about what to do when the bad habits show up. He says “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Jesus is telling us to ask for His help to overcome the temptation to take up our bad habits.
In the first part of the Gospel Jesus tells of the man who’s friend wakes him in the middle of the night for a few loaves of bread to feed a friend on a journey. His reaction is to say ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’
The man knocking for the loaves is Jesus and you are the guy laying in the bed of your bad habits. Jesus is saying get up and let Him in give Him your time, talent and treasure and He will distribute them to those in need. He also reminds us that if you do not get up He is going to keep knocking. “I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.”
I have found times when I wish I could go back to having Jesus as an acquaintance. This is what He was before CRHP. It was far easier to justify my sin when I did not know Him deeply. But that is my human side talking. My spiritual side says “Are you so stupid?” I only have to remember the true feeling of belonging that comes by being close to God to overturn these thoughts and figuratively get out of bed and get the loaves for Jesus.
Jesus is going to keep knocking. Do your best to get out of bed and meet Him at the door.
GVW4U 