BECOMING YOURSELF
Today’s Scripture- Galatians 1:11-24* (bottom of the page)
What is the story of your life before you came to know Jesus? Have you known God since birth? Did you have a radical conversion like Paul? Do you know Jesus today?
In today’s passage Paul said this about his own life, “You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.” Seriously, Paul went from Al Qaeda kind of living to becoming like Jesus. Now that my friends is transformation! Saul was no longer living in his old ways. His conversion was so radical he got his name changed from Saul to Paul!
Recently someone asked Donald Trump, “Why do you have to be so bombastic?” Trump replied, “I have to be myself. Look, I’ve built a great company, great empire, phenomenal success. What I’ve done is successful.”
So how do we know if we are being ourselves or if our lives need conversion?
Most of us have said, “I’m just being myself.” What might be true is that we are being the self we have developed to cope with what is missing, hurting or longing for love and acceptance. Our true self is the one who is created in the image and likeness of God. The one who isn’t vengeful, prideful or fearful. The true self is one who doesn’t need to defend, pretend, force, manipulate, cling, grasp, avoid or envy. The true self, the before I was born, God chose me self, is at home in our own skin…at home with God.
Paul lived a lie about himself before His encounter with God. We did too. Everyday we seek to live into the “before I was born, God chose me” self. The self that looks like more and more like God’s idea of the best self. So we ask you, “Are you just being yourself?’ In the days leading to Easter we consider who we were before knowing Christ and where we are today. Are we transforming or deforming?
Practice-
Give in: Surrender to God Himself, the one who knows the real you.
Give up: Trying to be someone you’re not.
Give out: Tell your story to someone you trust. Let them tell you what they see you becoming.
We leave you with the quote that guides us daily- “With God’s help I shall become myself.” Soren Kierkegaard
Becoming ourselves,
Scott and Clare
Today’s Scripture Reading- Galatians 1:11-24 NLT
11 Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. 12 I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. 14 I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors.
15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.
When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. 17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus.
18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie.
21 After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And still the churches in Christ that are in Judea didn’t know me personally. 23 All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” 24 And they praised God because of me.
Resources:
Read-The Life You’ve Always Wanted
Follow along in the Lectionary Readings*: A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants