Daily Dose of Hope
January 8, 2026
Scripture: Galatians 4
Prayer: Lord, How we need you. Thank you for your presence, thank you for the way you continue to pursue us. Lord, in these next few moments of silence, help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you...In Your Name, Amen.
Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We are in our first week of our new reading plan, Journey into the Letters of Paul, during which we will walk through Paul's letters chronologically. We are currently in Galatians, Paul's first letter.
Our chapter for today is Galatians 4. Boy, is Paul frustrated with the Galatians or what? He doesn't mince words. But he continues to make his point. Paul contrasts humanity's condition under the law versus in Christ. Under the law, people were heirs to a promise that God made with Abraham, but really they were no better than slaves, for they were still in bondage to the law. Under Christ, however, there is true freedom. People aren't merely heirs to a promise. They are children of the one true God.
Paul talks about the Galatians before the false teachers entered the picture. They were open to Paul's teaching. Paul alludes to an illness he had when he was with them initially. They cared for him as if he was Christ. Their hospitality and love was extravagant. He was blessed by them immensely. But now, Paul appears to be personally wounded by their rejection of him. How quickly things changed. They moved from reliance on grace to reliance on the law. Paul is heartbroken.
Our salvation has nothing to do with the law. Rather, our salvation rests in the work of Christ. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. When we are saved, God puts his Holy Spirit within us. There is an intimacy there. Now, we call out "Abba, Father" which effectively means "Daddy." We aren't slave children. We are truly God's children whom he loves. We can rest in the love of our father. We don't have to be fearful or timid. We can spend time with our Father God, sit in his lap, and soak up the love he has for us.
I'll close today with Romans 8:15-16, So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father." For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.
Do you consider God your daddy? Do you clearly understand your relationship as a child of the one true King? If you still have questions about this, or doubts, spend some time today and write them down. Pray about them. Let's see if over the course of this reading plan, God begins to speak to you regarding your list.
Blessings,
Pastor Vicki
