Daily Worship

Five a day

John Povey April 30, 2018 0 1
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Image credit: Pixabay

Galatians 5: 22-23

22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

Are you in the habit of taking your “five a day”? There is nothing quite like good and wholesome fresh fruit and vegetables. If you do not have access to fresh supplies every day, you will often find printed on the label of packets of fruit juice or some tins of soup the words, “counts towards your five a day”.  We want to stay well and avoid conditions that might seriously affect our health. Lifestyle is important.

Spiritual wellbeing matters just as much as physical, and for that we must also get our lifestyle right. How often do you pray? How often do you pause to drink of the Spirit? Do you take in your spiritual “five a day”? According to the apostle Paul, writing to the Galatians, the benefits are beyond our imagination.  He sums them up in 9 words which he describes as the fruit of the Spirit. They are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”.  Mere words, but they represent a multitude of benefits. If we could live like that, not only would we display spiritual health in our personal lives, but it would spill over and have a good and positive impact on the people around us.

 

Holy Spirit,

May my life bear fruit that reflects the life of Jesus, so that others may be drawn to him.

Cultivate within me the love that gives and expects nothing in return.

Grow within me the contagious joy that remains firm when trials come.

Clothe me with the transforming peace that offers comfort beyond words.

Fill me with the patience, kindness, and goodness, that seek to pursue harmony and be a blessing others.

Grant me faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, that I may learn to consider others before myself.

Make me more like Christ this and every day, for the growth of His Kingdom, 

and to the glory of the Father.

Amen.