Meditation on how to not gratify your sinful nature by walking with the Spirit. The Christian life isn't a sprint, or a marathon, it's learning to constantly commune with God the Father through the Spirit.

Meditation on fighting over legalism versus using freedom to gratify the flesh. Arguments and in-fighting will consume the body of Christ if not kept in check.

This meditation is powerful. It's simple. The Law of God is intended for human flourishing. When we consider others better than ourselves, and love our neighbors as our selves, the world is in right order. Jesus gives us the ability to do that.

This meditation is on the reality that just because we have freedom from the law, doesn't mean we should be lawless and selfish. On the contrary, because we are free from the law we can serve without worry about whether we're doing things "right".

This is Paul at his most unguarded. The sharpness is not accidental. It is the sharpness of a man watching people he loves be led away from what is true. Sit with the verse as it is. The heat in it. And what is underneath the heat.

Paul defends himself through logic. If he preached what they demanded, there would be no cost. But there is a cost. The offense of the cross is real. And he is still bearing it. Meditate on the word offense. What it means that the cross carries one.

Galatians 5: 11

But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 

Trust and accountability in the same sentence. Paul extends confidence to the church and names that the one troubling them will face consequences. He doesn't soften either. Sit with both. The belief he holds for them. And the weight of that final phrase: whoever he is

Galatians 5:10

 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 

Short and to the point. The meditation on a little bit of leaven ruining the whole lump is referring to how just a tiny bit of legalism can ruin a whole entire group of believers.

Galatians 5:9

A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 

Meditation on God's mind toward legalism. He created the law so that we might see HIM for who he is and who we are not. Our ways are not his ways, our thoughts are not his thoughts. That's why he sent Jesus to fulfill the law. He is not asking us to live perfectly, he's inviting us into relationship with Him. Legalism prevents us from experiencing the goodness of God and actually has the opposite effect and we end up being worse than the world. God hates hypocrisy. Legalism is the epitome of hypocrisy.

Galatians 5:8

This persuasion is not from him who calls you.

Meditation on those that Paul is writing to who have completely ignored the gospel and instead pursued a works based faith that only leads to destruction and enslavement to an impossible standard.

Galatians 5:7

You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?