Remember His Delight
Liv just graduated from the University of Birmingham and is now a volunteer worship assistant at Gas Street.
Galatians 1: 15 (NIVUK)
He was pleased to reveal his son in me, so that I might preach him among the gentiles.
I love asking the question: if you could only take three books of the Bible to a desert island, which would they be? People come out with some off-piste answers…Ruth, Genesis, Revelation. Mine would be Song of Songs (wahey!), John's Gospel (solid, meaty, inspiring) and….Galatians! Oh, I love Galatians and Paul’s desperate plea for us to live obsessed with God’s grace. A book written by an ex-persecutor of Christians proclaiming the forgiveness of his Heavenly Father. His main passion is for us to stop relying on our own attempts at purity, otherwise ‘Christ died for nothing!’ (2:21) Now that could keep me encouraged for weeks!
This week we'll focus on five of Paul’s key messages in Galatians. Today, let’s ponder the first of Paul’s claims – ‘He was pleased to reveal his son in me, so that I might preach him among the Gentiles’ (1:15).
Paul was convinced that Jesus was pleased (smiling, happy, proud) to show himself through Paul. And let’s face it, that has nothing to do with Paul’s track record - a would-be murderer of Christians 'breathing out murderous threats ' (Acts 9:1) and an accessory to Apostle Stephen's murder (Acts 7). Paul enjoys God's favour purely because of God’s redemptive love.
God looks at Paul and thinks, I am DELIGHTED that I get to demonstrate my Son through him! Paul received the Good News of Jesus from Jesus himself (v.12) and not ‘from man’. We, too, need the Lord himself to imprint the truth and life of Jesus on our hearts.
Let’s ask him to do that, being sure that his Word is true and unfailing and able to bring us into deeper passion for him. The Lord is delighted to show Jesus through YOU, today, right now…it’s true!
Prayer - Lord, your grace runs deeper than all the oceans combined. Help me to ponder your delight in me.
Song recommendation: The Father’s Song- Matt Redman.