Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Paul in this section talks about living by the spirit and condemning the sinful ways of the world. Living in Christ provides results in the fruits of the spirit named above.

Hymn of the Day: JOYFUL, JOYFUL, WE ADORE THEE - Henry van Dyke, 1852–1933

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;

hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee, hail Thee as the sun above.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away;

giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heav’n reflect

Thy ways; stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise;

field and forest, vale and mountain, bloss’ming meadow, flashing sea,

chanting bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blest,

well-spring of the joy of living, ocean-depth of happy rest!

Thou the Father, Christ our Brother—All who live in love are Thine:

Teach us how to love each other; lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the mighty chorus which the morning stars began;

father-love is reigning o’er us; brother-love binds man to man.

Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife;

joyful music lifts us sunward in the triumph song of life.

Osbeck, Kenneth W.: Amazing Grace : 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Kregel Publications, 1990, S. 139

When Henry van Dyke, a distinguished Presbyterian minister and a World War I Naval Chaplain wrote this hymn, it was his intent that his hymn be sung to the music of "Hymn to Joy" from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

Today's Comments: Obviously, from the passage above, the Christian Life should be lived in accordance with those fruits of the spirit. This is hard for us, when all around us we see poverty, crime, injustice. Yet, we are urged to be examples in the world. And it is through our joyful living that we are able to show the rest of the world that being a Christian is something special. It is not our words, but our deeds and actions by which we are known. And if we sometimes fall, we must get up and do our best to get back up and live the life that God wants for us and has given us the power to live.