In Alaska As It Is In Heaven

This morning Dane woke up wanting to go to Alaska. His grandmother recently took a cruise there, and he was telling about all the pictures he saw of whales and seaplanes as I sipped coffee.

“What are the flowers in Alaska like?” he asked. “Why have you never taken me there?” he said before I could answer his first question.

“I’d love to take you, but I haven’t been. I can’t really explain it, because I’ve never experienced it.” I told him.  

You and I are made in the image of God. As a result, there are aspects of God’s character that we are supposed to reflect into the world.

Take a moment and read from Galatians.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.

- Galatians 5:22-23

Why does Paul choose these nine traits?

They aren’t random, they are who God is. God is love. God is patient. God is kind. What did Jesus model on the cross? Love. Hebrews 12 says he had joy set before Him at the cross. God isn’t leading you somewhere He hasn’t been himself. When we receive salvation, we experience all of these traits in Jesus.    

We cannot give what we have not received. We cannot lead someone to a place we haven’t been. We cannot describe what we have not seen. Perhaps you look at your life, and you wonder why don’t I have more joy. Why am I not more loving? You have to go to love. You have to sit in the presence of the source of joy. If you are frustrated at your lack of patience, have you spent time thanking God for how patient He is with you? You can’t give away what you do not have.  

The Spirit of God is generous. God can’t stop giving Himself away to us. It’s us who refuse the invitation.  Don’t strive to become this list from Galatians today. Strive to experience this list today. The more you experience these nine expressions of God’s character, the more you will become them.

Pastor Jared

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