GALATIANS 6:18

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen”

Saying goodbye can be hard. When you know you probably won’t see someone for a long time, it can be even harder. My daughter had a baby shower recently, and a lot of her friends came. Some were her friends from high school. I had the privilege to see a couple of them before they left our home. When they left, we hugged, knowing it may be years before we see each other again. I love those girls (they will always be girls to me) and look forward to our next visit.

Paul signs off this letter to the Galatians with a simple but heartfelt goodbye. He wishes them grace but not just any grace. He wishes them “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Notice he said “our” and not “your.” He joins himself with them. They are brothers in faith. You may notice in your translation that “and sisters” is italicized. These words are not in the original Greek but are implied. Paul would not mean to imply that he was leaving the women out. He just addresses the men. Then he wishes this grace upon their spirit. A comforting last thought.

APPLICATION

Matthew Henry says this about verse 18. “We need desire no more to make us happy than the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle does not pray that the law of Moses, or the righteousness of works, but that the grace of Christ, might be with them; that it might be in their hearts and with their spirits, quickening, comforting, and strengthening them: to all which he sets his Amen; signifying his desire that so it might be, and his faith that so it would be.” What a great way to explain these last words.

If you had to write a letter to someone today, knowing you may never see them again, what would you say? How would you close the letter? Jesus’ last words to us are in Matthew 28:18-20. “18 ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.;” That’s quite a sendoff.

How about the very last words of the Bible in Revelation 22:20-21? “20 He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” Isn’t it interesting that John closes the Bible with the same words – the grace of the Lord Jesus? When you have experienced His grace, goodbyes to fellow believers are not forever. We will see each other again. Amen?

Thank You, Lord, for securing my future so that my goodbyes are just temporary.