Tag: Galatians

Yellow wall with small purple flowers growing up it. Text over the top: The story less told: a letter to Sarah

The story never told: a letter to Sarah

by Christine

This is part of the series of letters I’m writing to people listed in Hebrews 11 as the “cloud of witnesses” who went before us. Today’s is to Sarah. Her story is broken up and intersects with those of her husband, Abraham, and her slave Hagar. You can find the relevant passages in Genesis 12:10–20, Genesis 16, Genesis 17:15–22, Genesis 18:1–15, Genesis 20, Genesis 21:1–21.

Sarah’s not exactly a comfortable story—both in terms of how Abraham treated her and how she treated Hagar. Nevertheless, Sarah’s story and her identity as a mother figure was of huge importance in Jewish thought and we can see this in New Testament writings. 

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Close up inside the curl of a large crashing wave, with a smooth surface, lit by the sun. Words on top: Songs of the Spirit: Faithfulness, Faith in Grey Places

Songs of the Spirit: faithfulness (a poem)

by Christine

This is part of a series of poems on the virtues described as the fruit the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Faithfulness is such a big word. I think if there’s one thing, just one thing that God wants us to know about him, it’s that he is someone who fulfils his good promises. And of course, faithfulness is a huge part of that. 

As I sat and considered the word in more detail, five words came to me:

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Close up of an elephant touching its tusk with the tip of its trunk. Words: Songs of the Spirit: gentleness. Faith in Grey Places

Songs of the Spirit: gentleness (a poem)

by Christine

For the next few weeks, I’m writing a series of poems on the virtues described as the fruit the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. I started with self-control last week, and this week is gentleness.

I found out some interesting things about the Greek word translated as “gentleness”. The word is πραύτης meaning “meekness”, “gentleness” or “humility” and it’s the same word used in the beatitudes in Matthew 5:5 (“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”). 

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Woman pouring green tea from a glass teapot into glass jars, while her arm rests on a book. Text over the top: Songs of the Spirit: self-control Faith in Grey Places

Songs of the Spirit: self-control (a poem)

by Christine

For the next few weeks, I’m writing a series of poems on the virtues described as the fruit the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. I’m starting with self-control. 

So often, I hear self-control described in terms of hemming ourselves in, or resisting ungodly tendencies. Yet these descriptions feel lacking to me, as they can only have meaning in the context of sin. The other eight virtues all stand in their own right as expressions that will have a place in God’s kingdom when all sin is done away with. 

I did, however, find one notable exception to the rule.

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