I was reading again this afternoon in Galatians, and I am feeling like my mind is being blown wide open by the awesomeness of our God. Do you know what I mean? It's like I'm reading His word....I'm grasping it as best my finite sinful mind can, and at the same time I feel like it's completely blowing me out of the water, because who am I that the Lord would reveal Himself to me in such amazing and intimate ways? Our Lord is so magnificent. Specifically I was reading chapter 4, and I am only going to copy a portion on here for you to read through, I myself got seriously lost studying verses 8-16.
"I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?" Galatians 4:12-16
Another one of my heart's desires is to be truthful. I don't know if that is somewhat influenced by my upbringing, where the divorce of my parents was just engulfed in dishonesty and thus the Lord has put a passion in my heart for always being truthful, or if it's part of my personality, in addition to the most basic of convictions that I obey the Lord in His command, "nor lie to one another" Lev. 19:11.
I've been asked some tough questions lately, and the truth has been so hard to speak, but it must be spoken. Tempered of course by the love of Christ, and of course as I'm asked tough questions, I first seek to filter my responses through scripture. I beg the Lord to take away my personal opinions and judgments, and fill me with His Spirit that as I speak to others I would encourage them and point them to Jesus, and His Word, the only truth we have to cling to in this mad world we call earth.
So as I was reading through Galatians today, chapter four, the Lord just really blessed my soul with His word. Immensely would be an understatement. My precious Bible has subtitles (thank you Jesus) I love them, they often help me pick up on themes that I may not otherwise. The subtitle for Galatians 4:8-20, is "Fears for the church." Keep in mind dear sister, this is Paul's' letter to the church at Galatia, and here he is so clearly showing his passion for the believers at Galatia to really apply the truth of the gospel. He is fearful that they may fall away, "But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire to be in bondage?" Galatians 4:8. Paul is concerned that believers here in Galatia (and this is so applicable for us today) have fallen back into being preoccupied with the things of the world and have rather turned to the "weak and beggarly elements" I love his language here. Weak and beggarly, the things we so often turn to are weak, without strength or power and yet in our fallen state we succumb to them and give them power over us! Ladies they are WEAK, they are beggarly...they beg for our attention. These words "weak" and "beggarly" refer to (in the original language) the basic and fundamental things...such as rituals of human religions, basic things of life (like the letters of the alphabet). These things are so weak, and yet many times we become the weak willed woman and succumb to them. We must rise above, and first fervently seek God in His word DAILY!!! Then we should pair ourselves with a Christian brother (our spouse) or sister that we can count on to point us again to Jesus, and to speak truth to us no matter what.
I love Paul's words here, "Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?" Gal. 4:16 Ladies you and I both need a friend that we can run things by that we know will speak truth, God's truth to us in love. I do not want to fall to the weak and beggarly things of this world, I want to be able to turn to my spouse, or my best friend and question things, and know without a doubt that they will point me straight to Jesus. I want to be sharpened as iron sharpens iron by the word of God. Through my husband, my friends, my children...whomever the Lord chooses to use...I just want it done.
I pray ladies, that we would seek to ask questions that honor Him, that will help us in our pursuit of Him, and will guide us in renewing our minds, and that we would expect that though the answers might not always be easy to stomach, we would be prepared for the truth that comes from those who love the Lord. I know in my life I've asked a lot of dumb questions, I've asked a lot of questions that I didn't think I'd get an answer to, I've asked questions that when I got the answer I was floored, and then sadly there have been times when I've asked questions and have not been given a truthful answer. I just want the truth. I keep thinking that phrase, "Just give me Jesus" Jesus alone is the Way the Truth and the Life. Of course as a believer He gives us a passion for His truth! It's a passion for Him!!!
Let's ask the Lord to renew within us a steadfast spirit as David did in Psalm 51:10, let's ask our God to create within us a pure heart again as David did in Psalm 51:10, let's be on our faces before the Lord and beg Him to supply the strength to live before Him holy and blameless, through the power of the Holy Spirit. O Ladies, how I long for us to learn, grow and be transformed....
"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Col. 3:16
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