Devotional 9-28-07

Please read Galatians 1:11-24

In this section of Paul’s letter, he is discussing his call by God and how it transformed his life. Through a revelation by Jesus Christ, he recognized that he had been set apart and called by God through grace to share the news with others.

I am struck by verses 22 through 24:

I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; they only heard it said, “The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me.

Look at verse 24 again. “And they glorified God because of me.”

They did not know him, yet because of the radical transformation his life had taken, they praised God because of him. Do others praise God because of you? Has your life been radically change by the recognition of God’s grace in your life and by the power of the Holy Spirit?

We praise God when we notice radical transformations, when we see a life completely turned around by coming to Christ. We celebrate Paul’s conversion. Or the story of John Newton, a slave trader who became convicted of his sin and joined forces with William Wilberforce to abolish the slave trade. His is the story of the hymn, Amazing Grace. We always seem to praise God when someone else—an ex-convict, a reformed alcoholic, a lost son—recognizes their wretched humanness, does an about-face, and dedicates her or his life to Kingdom living. What about you?

I’ll ask the question again. Do others praise God because of you?

If not, then perhaps there is a transformation yet to take place in your life.

What is keeping you from experiencing the nearer presence of God? Are you holding on to the traditions of your ancestors instead of letting go and soaring by the power of the Holy Spirit to where God is leading you today? Are you absorbed in self instead of reaching out to others in love? Do you ask for God’s blessing on what you do, or do you trust in God and obey his will? God set you apart and called Paul, you, and even me, by name since before we were born, by his grace, so that others might know him because of us. I pray that others may know him because of you, and even me.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace. And then, others will praise God because of you!

Anonymous