A game of two halves.

As a passionate soccer fan when I go to see my beloved football team it never ceases to amaze me that in a game of two halves the players' performance can be so poor in the first half bringing me only disappointment, misery and unhappiness.

But then following the manager's half time team talk the players come out for the second half only to perform with such skill and brilliance that they are an absolute joy and delight to watch.

You could say that our life is a ''game'' of two halves; one 'half' before knowing Jesus and on then on finding Jesus a second 'half' walking with him and growing in his Spirit.

In Galatians 5, Paul who you could say was one of God's managers in the early Church, gave a ''team'' talk to remind the Galatians that God is constantly watching their ''game''. 

Here is Paul's summary of the players' performance in the first ''half'' (of their lives).  In this hard hitting half-time team talk  he concludes it with the stark warning that if performance continues to be unacceptable in the second 'half' then players will be dropped and the owner may choose not to renew their contract;

Galatians 5: 19, 20 & 21;  ''Now the works of the flesh are manifest [evident], which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft [sorcery], hatred, variance [contentions], emulations [jealousies], wrath, strife [selfish ambition], seditions [dissensions], heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and the such like: of which I tell you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.''

Paul goes on to tell the players that this performance and behaviour must be a thing of the past;

Galatians 5: 24;  ''And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections [its passions] and lusts.''

So to the second ''half'' and the players must perform as though their lives depend on it!  But to help them a new form of coaching is to be introduced - a coach who lives in the heart of each player - the Holy Spirit - to guide each player and remind  them what each of them is expected to do to overcome the opposition; 

Galatians 5: 25;  ''If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.''

Paul outlines the measures of performance which the owner requires of His players who now have this on board coach to help them;

Galatians 5: 22 & 23;  ''But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness [kindness], goodness, faith [faithfulness], Meekness, temperance [self-control]: against such there is no law.''

So that when God, as the team's owner, comes to view the performance of His players in life's game what He observes only brings him great joy and delight.