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Morning Meditation
September 1, 2025
Reading: Galatians 3:6-14
Just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’, so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.’ For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed.
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.’ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’ But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, ‘Whoever does the works of the law will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Meditation by Rebecca Northington
Some folks refer to my age group, roughly 50 years old, as the ‘sandwich’ generation. We are the meat, so to speak, in between two slices of bread in a sandwich, caring for both our children and our parents. To some degree this has likely always been the case, but as people are having children later, and people are living longer in our communities, you see it today more than ever. This is most apparent to me where my family spends the summer with over 100 years of spiderwebbing family trees, where everyone is related it seems, and family gatherings include newborns and 90 year olds. The stairsteps of generations are almost blended as some of my first and second cousins are the same age as my children; one generation bleeds into the next.
Each summer brings a new baby into the fold, as well as either loss or significant change in our elders. What is of particular interest as relates to the reading for today is how we all handle these changes. God asked Abraham to trust him, and to take his family and his livelihood and move into the unknown. God promised to bless Abraham if he could put his faith in God. Abraham’s faith is a legacy we all get to inherit if we choose to. It is relevant in the many instances throughout our lives where we don’t get to know or control what is to come. But if we can put our faith in the Lord, we have the opportunity to be relieved of that burden or anxiety that comes with not knowing and not controlling. To some degree that can also be seen as we put our faith in one another. Watching a new mother generously share her baby with the family, or an elderly person rely genuinely on a grown child or grandchild is like watching the next iteration of Abraham’s trust in God.
Is it faith or the law that guides our hearts? Paul warns us that the law will fall short. I think Paul is trying to tell us that the law gives us a false sense of control. No matter how deftly we try to abide by the law, or work the system, physically, intellectually, or emotionally; ultimately the law is limited and limiting. It is only in faith that we can be liberated, and at peace. Trying to control what is to come is to some degree trying to be God, rather than trusting in God. I am sure most of you reading this can imagine someone who resists the stage of life or death as they approach it, whether it be a rising first grader or someone nearing the end. We cannot knowingly describe exactly what it is that they will experience, or how they will respond as the unique individual that they are. But we can hope in God, we can pray for God’s deliverance, and we can surrender to God’s will, as Abraham, Paul and Jesus did.
Be Still,My Soul-by Katharina von Shlegel,1752
Be still my soul! - the Lord is on thy side,
Bear patiently the cross of grief and pain,
Leave to thy God to order and provide,
In ev’ry change, he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul! - thy best, thy heav’nly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul! - thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as he has the past:
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake,
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul! - the waves and winds still know
His voice, who ruled them while he dwelt below.
Be still, my soul! - when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know his love, his heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul! - thy Jesus can repay
From his own fullness all he takes away.
Be still, my soul! - the hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord;
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul! - when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Be still, my soul! - begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge him in all thy works and ways,
So shall he view thee with a well-pleased eye.
Be still, my soul! - the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.
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