Hello my friend Dr. Brad Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh.

This is your daily reading of the Bible from a progressive point of view.

In a bit I will read the New Testament lessons selected from the Revised Common Lectionary for this very day.

The reading is understandable.

I use the message version relatable.

Please listen to the points to ponder and applicable with action steps you can take.

We pray and are done in less than 10 minutes.

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Here's today's reading.

We're reading from Galatians 4:1:7 from the Message Let me show you the implications of all this.

As long as the heir is a minor, he has no advantage over the slave.

Though legally he owns the entire inheritance, he is subject to tutors.

And administrators until whatever date the Father has set.

For emancipation.

That is the way it is with us.

When we were minors, we were just like slaves, ordered around by simple instructions, the tutors and administrators of this world with no say in the conduct of our own lives.

But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father.

God sent his son born among us of a woman born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law.

Thus we've been set free to experience our rightful heritage.

You could tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the spirit of His Son into our lives, crying out, papa, Father, doesn't that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave of but a child?

And if you're a child, you're also an heir with complete access to the inheritance.

Well friends, I just want to thank you for joining me for a few minutes as we explore a little deeper here about this passage.

Paul uses this image, a family image of before maturity.

And heir lives under tutors and administrators, which many people in the this day and age would be familiar with, more like a servant than a free child.

But there comes a time and when the transition happens, and the reading here is talking about when God sends Jesus born under the law to redeem us from being kidnapped by the law, so to speak, we can become fully adopted and the Spirit moves in us with an intimate cry, papa, Father, Daddy, we're not slaves, we're children.

And if children, then heirs with full access to the inheritance.

Look for the nuance shift here.

Let's explore three points to ponder Teaching points about this passage.

The first is about going from legalism to liberating belonging.

Paul contrasts being managed by rules with being embraced as family.

A progressive reading of this passage doesn't despise wisdom or boundaries, but it rejects religion that controls, shames or excludes.

Adoption means our core identity is belovedness, not performance.

Intimacy with God, Papa, Daddy, decenters, gatekeepers, and centers, grace that heals.

Communities shaped by this move will prioritize trauma, informed care, accessibility, and practices that say you belong before practices say you must.

A second point to ponder is that adoption creates new solidarity, not private privilege.

Heirs with full access is what it says here.

It isn't a personal upgrade, it's a shared inheritance.

If God's household is truly family, then resources, dignity, decision making are shared too.

That pushes us to dismantle hierarchies of sexism, racism, transphobia, classism that keep some under tutors, as it were, forever.

An adopted family learns to redistribute power, elevate marginalized voices, and make sure the household's abundance actually reaches those who need it most.

Another point to ponder.

The Spirit's cry becomes our public ethic.

The Spirit teaches us to pray this intimate prayer like Papa or Daddy, but also to protest what kidnaps laws and systems that trap people in shame, debt, or second class status.

Progressive discipleship pairs intimacy with God and advocacy for neighbors, healthcare access, worker protections, humane immigration policies, destigmatized mental health support.

The same spirit who comforts us all moves us to free each other from red tape and contempt.

Let's talk about an action step practice adopted family freedom.

Let me unpack that a little further.

Let's say it's in the area of intimacy.

Spend two or three minutes a day with a prayer, kind of like you might want to inhale like I am your child and exhale, set me free in love.

Inhale, I'm your child.

Exhale, set me free in love.

And solidarity is another aspect.

You ever do one freeing act for someone tangled up in shame or systems?

I mean, offering a ride for someone who needs a ride to the doctor's office or help in some way with a medical bill, maybe financial assistance, or might be helping someone untangle all the phone calls and insurance things that happen, or contribute to some mutual aid like a food pantry or some sort of a housing endeavor or accompany a friend to a hard meeting, you know, maybe like an AA meeting or something like that.

And ask yourself the question, maybe ask someone else.

What would help you feel less alone today?

Inequity.

If you have any influence in any kind of a group, church, workplace, politics, service of some kind, make some sort of a policy or practice more family like that is being benevolent and caring to someone.

Or help to alleviate some child care issues.

Or rotate leadership in your group so that everyone shares a voice.

We'Re going.

To close our time with a prayer here in just a minute, but I want you to know we have a wonderful resource for you to help you with your at home daily Bible study.

It's called the ABC 123 Bible Study Method.

You pick it up at our website voiceofgoddaily.com let's pray.

Oh God, Papa, God, Daddy God.

Thank you for calling us children, your intimate children, not servants, and for pulling us close when life and religion push us away.

Teach us to breathe in belonging and breathe out courage.

Where rules have wounded, bring repair.

Where systems have kidnapped, bring freedom.

Make our communities feel like family.

Gentle with struggle, generous with resources, honest about power.

Bless caregivers and patients, the overworked and overlooked and the ones on hospital floors and the ones on wooded trails.

Thank you for laughter of children because laughter is medicine.

Spirit of Jesus, cry out in us until no one is treated as less than a child of God.

Amen.

My friend, I am delighted you chose to join me for today's reading.

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Thanks much.

My name is Dr. Brad Miller and I'll be right here tomorrow with your daily Bible Refreshment.

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Remember, God's loyal love doesn't run out.

His merciful love hasn't dried up, it's created new every morning.