Living In the Wrong House

It was always funny visiting my friends' houses growing up. Each house had its own culture, and it was usually a mix of perks and pitfalls.
 
At my house, I had a strict bedtime and always had to tell my parents where I was going. But one friend’s family? Total freedom. They could stay up all night, go wherever they wanted, and never seemed to check in. I know, that sounds amazing… until you saw their chore list. They didn’t just help out, they ran the place. They cooked dinner, did the laundry, and cleaned the whole house. Freedom came with a lot of responsibility. I knew if I spent the night, it’d be PlayStation until the morning and chores until dinner.
 
Another friend was the complete opposite. He lived like royalty. No chores, no rules, all-day snacks and non-stop TV. As a parent, that makes me cringe. But as a kid? It seemed like heaven.
 
The shock came not just from their homes, but from how different the expectations were. Different houses. Different rules. No matter how great, staying too long made me long for my own house.
 
Tomorrow, we’re going to see how the Galatians were doing the same thing spiritually. They were children of grace, and part of God’s house, but they had begun to live like they belonged to another family. They traded the freedom of the Spirit for the burdens of performance. Paul’s heart breaks as he pleads with them: “Don’t go back to the old house you escaped.”
 
God’s house is where freedom, joy, and love live. I can’t wait to explore it with you tomorrow. See you at worship!