In chapter 1, verses 1-10, we first receive a formal greeting from Paul and then he launches directly into an argument with the churches in Galatia about deserting the Good News (the Gospel of Jesus Christ). This leads me to my central question for today. What do we define as Good News for our lives? Have we abandoned God’s Good News, so that we can have more control over the news in our lives? Is our Good News something that we can accomplish – our financial security, our health, our social status? Is that really Good News? Or is Good News something that is done for us by God in Jesus Christ?

Today we sang a new arrangement of a favorite old hymn, “Take My Life that I May Be”. As I pondered that hymn, I was struck by the thought that the Good News is something that comes to us as we are confronted by God’s Word, the Living Spirit. When the Spirit of God enables us to see how we have tried to control our lives and the daily news for our lives, the only thing left for us is to repent and to turn around to God. Last week we talked about repentance as a way of turning – instead of turning into ourselves, we turn around to face God. Repentance is a recognition and admittance that we cannot mold, create or work alongside of God to attain the Good News for our lives. Good News comes from God alone.

For me, repentance is this. I am called by this Good News to turn away from myself and to rely on God to take my life and use me. That is why we sing “take my life so I may be consecrated, Lord, to Thee”. My prayer is to turn around to God and to ask Him to “take my will and make it Thine, for it shall be no longer mine”. What is Good News for you?

Steve Kruse
New Covenant Lutheran Church

"New Covenant - A New Way of Life!"