Category: Devotions

For you today, whether in a painful reality that doesn’t look like changing or maybe you have failed God and others, Sarah is your hope. This is the Bible story throughout. This is the gospel. Do not be deceived into thinking by your own efforts you can change a thing. It is all of Him and all because of Him and His promises for your life.

“For it is written: “Be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child; shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labour; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.” 28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.” (Galatians 4 v 27-28)

But how do you live in such a circumstance? 

I am pausing for a few days to meditate on Isaiah 54 before we continue in Galatians 4 to try and answer that one question. For there are many in exile, whether as a victim or because of their own sin. There are many in situations where they have done nothing wrong to equal their predicament. How do you live? Paul is using this story to say to the Galatians that the gospel is for the barren, the failed, those who have been put down or made to feel like they’re not good enough for God. The gospel is for those who cannot change their situation. Those who have made it, those who are fertile like Hagar, those who are spiritually entrepreneurial are actually those who are the slaves. So back to the question, how do you live?

• We need to find a different perspective so that we can dig out hope in the contradictions of our life.

• Make the right choice

And also …

• Have confidence in the grace of God to see what cannot be seen

“shout for joy, you who were never in labour; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.” Can you see the reality of the invisible?

Hebrews 11: 27 “By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the Kings anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.” The king and Egypt were the seen. But Moses had his hope in the One who is unseen and as a result confidence rose within him.

An intriguing painting was once displayed at the Louvre art museum in France called “Checkmate”, painted by Friedrich Moritz August Retzsch. It is now said to be in private hands after being sold at Christie’s in 1999. This painting depicts 2 chess players, one is Satan whom appears arrogantly confident, and the other player is a man who looks forlorn. If Satan wins, he gets the man’s soul. According to legend, a chess champion visited the museum once and after studying the painting, noticed that the arrangement of the chess pieces were incorrect. According to him, the devil who thought he was winning, was in fact not winning. The man, who thought he was losing, was winning, because according to the pieces left on the chessboard, his king had one more move left, which would make him the winner of the game! He called the curator and they determined that the title didn’t fit the scene because the forlorn-looking player actually has the ability to defeat his opponent, though he obviously doesn’t realize it. The painting is a lie. His king can still make another move!

Those who live with confidence in the grace of God know that their king always has one more move.

A 17 year old called Joseph was set on by his own brothers and threw both into a disused well. He was then sold into slavery. Its check mate. But the KING still has one more move.

The widow of a man from the Elisha school of prophets has lost everything and the creditors are not satisfied. They took everything apart from one small bottle ofoil and now want the sons as slaves. Its checkmate. But the KING has one more move.

Thousands of people have walked miles and miles from home just following the Jesus’ team. They are now in danger of suffering through hunger. No one has enough money. There is only 5 loaves and 2 fish. But the KING has one more move.

On some people today checkmate has been declared. The person who wrote that is a thief, liar and a killer. But the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords has one more move.

Those who hope in the Lord will not be disappointed.

There is still a move the King can make. It’s not over.

It is possible to thrive in your painful reality. There will be some things that you just will not be able to fix. You may not be free of that physical pain. That situation just may not change. You may be a Gentile and not be circumcised or follow Jewish practices. But the Apostle uses this story to demonstrate that it is often those who have it all together (or it seems so), it is those who haven’t sinned (or they would like to demonstrate that) and it is those who appear free and pure and everything else that you are not who are actually Hagar people, they are the slaves, they are not free.

You can find a different perspective so that you can dig out hope in the contradictions of your life. You can make the right choice and you can have the confidence in the grace of God to see what cannot be seen. 

 

For you today, whether in a painful reality that doesn’t look like changing or maybe you have failed God and others, Sarah is your hope. This is the Bible story throughout. This is the gospel. Do not be deceived into thinking by your own efforts you can change a thing. It is all of Him and all because of Him and His promises for your life.

“For it is written: “Be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child; shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labour; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.” 28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.” (Galatians 4 v 27-28)

But how do you live in such a circumstance? 

I am pausing for a few days to meditate on Isaiah 54 before we continue in Galatians 4 to try and answer that one question. For there are many in exile, whether as a victim or because of their own sin. There are many in situations where they have done nothing wrong to equal their predicament. How do you live? 

• We need to find a different perspective so that we can dig out hope in the contradictions of our life.

“For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds”Hebrews 12:3.

The cross is 2 pieces of wood running contrary to each other. The cross is our thoughts crossing God’s thoughts, our will crossing His will and our desired answers crossing God’s given answers. It is this cross we are called to carry, “not my will but yours be done.”

It seems God allows contradictions in our lives. Will we become broken under the hand of God, a surrendered servant, or will we fight against it and become bitter?

Stephen was stoned and died, but Paul was stoned and lived.

Philip was supernaturally transported, but Paul was shipwrecked and snake-bitten.

Peter walked on water, Paul floated on the water for 3 days.

James was beheaded while Peter was released.

How do we explain these things?

Jeremiah 8:15 “We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror.” That can be said of us all. We all hope for the best. We all want our situations to be perfect, to be better at least. 

It is true of what we want for each other. We don’t want one another to face painful reality and so we speak ‘faith’ over one another, ‘you will be healed’ ‘you will get this’ ‘you will prosper’ etc. But what if we are wrong? What if God wants us to live in a contradiction for a while?

Jim Collins in his book, Good to Great, describes a conversation he had with Admiral Jim Stockdale, the highest ranking US military officer in the ‘Hanoi Hilton’ prisoner of war camp during the Vietnam War. In his 8 years of imprisonment, he and others were appallingly treated.

He asked the question of Stockdale: “Who didn’t make it out?”

“Oh that’s easy, the optimists,” was the reply.

“The optimists? I don’t understand.”

The optimists were the ones who said, “We’re going to be out by Christmas” and then Christmas would come and go. Then they’d say “We’re going to be out by Easter” then Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart.”

Stockdale then turned to Collins and said, “This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end – which you can never afford to lose- with the discipline to confront the brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

It is a similar story told by Viktor Frankl of one of her inmates in Auschwitz who was dying of an illness but because she had been told they would be freed by Christmas was holding on to life. She died on Christmas Day when they were not freed. 

Paul says in Philippians 2: 12 “continue to work out your salvation.”

Dig out hope from a reality that we cannot be blind to, that needs sorting out.

So the contradiction that you find yourself in is a painful reality that you cannot ignore nor simply complain about. But you need to dig deep because inside that contradiction is a hope and a realisation that you can find a way even though it looks impossible. In order to find that hope then we must find a different perspective from the viewpoint of ourselves. How do others see my situation? How does God see my situation? What are the benefits right now? Are there opportunities because of this situation?

I recently saw a short video on social media of a lady with severe disabilities. She was being supported to stand by a friend behind her. From one perspective she was helpless, weak and didn’t have anything to offer. Until she began to sing! She has the most beautiful of voices and it brought tears to everyone who was listening including myself.

You can sing even though you are barren and have nothing to sing about. There is hope in the contradiction of your life. Change your perspective. 

The false teachers are deceiving the Galatians into thinking they are not good enough for this salvation. The Apostle is in the middle of the story of Sarah and Abraham. He is demonstrating that when Abraham abandoned the promise and ‘made it happen’ by taking Hagar, the slave, then it pointed to all the generations to come who would try the same. Trying to make it happen for themselves and being acceptable to God through works is the Hagar route. But of course there is another path and which Paul is urging them to see. Sarah demonstrates the grace from God for salvation that is free for us but which God paid the price for. She is the real Jerusalem, our kingdom, our home, heaven.

“But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written: “Be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child; shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labour; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.” ²⁸ Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.” (Galatians 4 v 26-28)

Importantly the story of Sarah shows that we will never be good enough, it is always because of God. She wasn’t good enough (neither was Abraham) and Paul now shows that this truth is not only from Genesis 16 but throughout the Israel history as he quotes Isaiah 54.

Why is Paul quoting Isaiah? Why has he chosen to hover over something that happened 1200 years after Abraham and Sarah and 600 years before his own lifetime? First let’s see the context.

The Babylonians have flattened Jerusalem and taken its people back to exile. In Babylon the exiles suffer and find it difficult to practice their faith. So God tells them He will rescue them and bring them back. Isaiah preaches prophetically 150 years ahead to a people he does not know in a nation he has not been to about a Suffering Servant, a Messiah to come and above all about their return home.

Isaiah 54: 1 “Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labour; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord.

Isaiah paints the picture of a woman who has no children, no husband and no home. This is the picture of the people of God and in particular the scene of the ruined city of Jerusalem.

Though this is not the case thankfully in our culture and time but Jerusalem and the people of God looked like a woman who had been robbed of the 3 essentials of life. They are not coming home by their own efforts. Now that they’re in exile and they can do absolutely nothing about it then God says He has got them where He wants them because He can now demonstrate the importance and power of grace. This is why Paul quotes Isaiah 54.

For you today, whether in a painful reality that doesn’t look like changing or maybe you have failed God and others, Sarah is your hope. This is the Bible story throughout. This is the gospel. So do not be deceived any longer into thinking by your own efforts you can change a thing. It is all of Him and all because of Him and His promises for your life. The way out is the Sarah path, the pathway of the promise which Abraham had to come back to in the end. The Apostle says you are Isaac’s, children of the promise, so live in this way. Resist the path of Hagar where Abraham tried to make things happen by his own strength. Allowing people (the false teachers) to convince you that there is more for you to do than just believe and receive from God is deception.

Over the next few days we will ponder some more about this important promise from Isaiah. I think it will help us to do so.

Over the last week I have seen a few times on social media statements something to the effect of what my title is saying this morning. The sad thing is there are many who truly believe this to be the case. I think on their lives and how difficult it must be. To rely on what I do or don’t do to be sure of my salvation is a weight Jesus never asked me to carry. This example serves to help us understand this next important section of Paul’s letter to the Galatian Christians who were being led astray by false teachers.

^“Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. ²³ His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. ²⁴ These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.” (Galatians 4 v 21-25)

Paul starts with a rhetorical question but will answer it later on. Though he believes in the historical story of Hagar and Sarah (in Genesis 12, 16 and 21) he is taking the story he says figuratively. He is using Hagar’s story to compare it with Sarah’s to attack the false belief disrupting the gospel message that the work of Christ is enough for salvation and approval by God.

The Jews held to being the children of Abraham through the birth of Isaac; they were heirs of the promises of God; they were under the Law received on Mount Sinai; and their focus was the Temple in Jerusalem. They also held to the belief that the Gentiles needed to be like them.

However Paul takes the 2 stories and uses them to show that though they think they are living out the line of Sarah in fact because of their desire to work and perform they are actually living out the lifestyle of the people they hate, the Hagar descendants.

Ishmael was born because Abraham could not wait for the promise of Isaac through Sarah and took her slave, Hagar.

He worked it out himself. He still believed in the promise but he believed in himself to fix the problem, not God. The result was that everyone was impacted by that terrible decision.

Paul was saying to those who were getting circumcised and becoming ‘Jewish’ to satisfy others that they were indeed properly converted should heed the truth that he is giving.

In theory the Jews are children of Abraham, by Sarah, they are Isaac’s people. However, in practice they are children of the slave Hagar, they are Ishmael’s people.

Why? They are relying on their own ability to get the approval of God, the move of God, the miracles and promises of God.

Culturally they are Sarah’s but by their lifestyle they belong to Hagar, the people they actually hate. That’s the result of wanting to be under the law and wanting to be seen to be righteous, when in effect they already are because of Christ.

When Paul was begging them to be like him it was because ultimately he wanted them to be like Christ. He was not manipulating them.
“Is this making me more like Christ?” That’s the question we have for our whole lives. If it’s not then run from it.
““Those people may be paying you a lot of attention, but it isn’t for your good. They only want to keep you away from me, so you will pay them a lot of attention. It is always good to give your attention to something worthwhile, even when I am not with you. My children, I am in terrible pain until Christ may be seen living in you. I wish I were with you now. Then I would not have to talk this way. You really have me puzzled.”
Galatians 4:17-20

In recent years we have new terms for psychological abuses that seem to abound in this cruel world and one of those is ‘Gaslighting’.

“The term “gaslighting” comes from a 1938 play titled Gas Light, which was adapted into the 1940 film Gas Light, followed by the better-known 1944 film Gaslight, starring Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman. In each work, a male protagonist convinces his wife she’s imagining things that are actually happening—including the dimming of the house’s gas lights—with the result of making her believe she’s gone insane.” (https://www.forbes.com)

The Christians in Galatia had loved the Apostle but now they are doubting their experiences they have had, the things he has said, who he is and his intentions, they have become victims of gaslighting from the usual place which is a person of influence either romantic or in a leadership position. In their situation it is the false teachers who are telling them that Paul’s gospel is no gospel really because they must become Jewish to be acceptable. Their encounters of God are not quite right.

In any confrontation within the Church we do well to listen for the message and the inclusion of Jesus Christ. Is this ultimately about His glory? Is this about Him being seen? Or are we being encouraged to put our attention on other things? The rules? In this case the false teachers and their need for them to have supporters. They need followers. They will do all they can to get them. If that means to speak against other leaders, like the Apostle, then they will. A leadership question as old as this story is ‘why are people following you?’ Is it because they are paid to do so? Is it because they are afraid not to? Or is it because they see Christ in you and they believe that if they keep following you then it will lead them to follow Christ and to become like Him? People speak about a DNA of a church but then continue to talk about ‘how they do things around here.’ The DNA of a church is Jesus Christ never forget it and do not let anyone manipulate you to be in the ‘inner circle’ is to jump through some hoops ie get circumcised and become Jewish. It is better to be out than in if that is the case.

Recently I was involved in what I view as one of the saddest of things regarding friendships. People who once were friends are now no longer because they heard divisive comments from another which brought their beautiful friendship into dispute. It is over now. I cannot see them ever being friends again. But that’s the attitude of the world. It happens every day. The celebrity websites are full of stories of friends who now are enemies. I wonder if that is your experience. It’s not a nice thought thinking you have become an enemy to anyone. Probably if anything it will be that you have grown distant with people who you once journeyed with. It happens. It’s life. Not everyone journeys with us for the whole way. 

But for the Apostle Paul he is feeling quite upset! People he loves and journeyed with are now turning against him. They have listened to those who divide and not those who unite and it’s a lesson for us all.

“… and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. ¹⁵ Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?” Galatians 4:14-16

Paul exaggerates only to state his point that there was a time not so long ago when they loved him. 

But now those feelings have gone due to the false teachers who turned them against Paul regarding his teaching of grace. 

How can you go from friend to foe?

The people had become convinced that there were doubts on his originality, his authenticity and that he too cast a dangerous shadow over their status as Christians. 

Watch out for those who divide. 

They can break up the closest of friends by bringing their perspective of truth on who you are. 

They will challenge your story and the truth of who you are. They will misquote you and even tell lies so that you feel threatened by the friend you have known.

Watch out for those who divide. They may try it with you against one of your friends.

Those who speak against others probably speak against you also.

If it has happened to you. If you have lost a friend and they are now your foe because of untruths then these verses show you that the Apostle Paul knew exactly how you feel. Examine yourself, maybe get a trusted person’s perspective in case you have been blinded by the truth. But if in all good conscience you have acted rightfully then hold on to your position of truth. If they have walked because you speak the truth then let them walk. Perhaps someone needs to hear this today. It isn’t a devotional word for everyone but this morning you may be waking with your heart broken because your friend is now a foe.

A question we have often asked.

“As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you” (Galatians 4 v 13)

Was it depression? Epilepsy? Headaches? Eye-sight problem? The thorn in the flesh? Marks from the persecution he had received? The fact is the great Apostle Paul was ill. 

Is this disconcerting or comforting? I am sure the latter. Why does God permit this? 

What is interesting is that the reason why Paul began ministry there was because his illness had kept him there to do so. His plans were changed. 

And if his illness was unsightly (which the next few verses would suggest in that they lovingly responded to him with kindness) then perhaps he used what had happened to him as a personal testimony leading into his preaching?

Are we open to our plans changing and for God to use the bad things that happen to us for His good? Paul believed in this didn’t he? 

(Romans 8 v 28) Everything of our life, what happens to us, what we have done, the hurts and difficulties are not outside of the gaze of God. Neither is it outside of the control of Him. We may not realise this side of heaven exactly how this works for the good. But the promise is that God is filtering everything and using it for His purposes.

…. In fact it is essential.

Yesterday I wrote of how I thought Paul was saying he had become like them in their legalist approach to their relationship with God. He called them to be free from that way of life like he was. 

This morning I haven’t moved from this verse:

“I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.” (Galatians 4 v 12)

Just as the Son of God came and dwelt amongst the Jewish nation incarnating Himself into their culture. So Paul on looking back to his ministry amongst the Galatian churches remembers how he copied Christ. The incarnation was key for him. He was amongst the people. He ate with them, lived with them, walked amongst them. Without compromising the gospel and the life of the Spirit ‘he became like you’. 

The world around you is longing for someone to step into their world, to walk their path, to understand and care for them. 

How will we ever reach people if we don’t become like them?

• It is not only about you. You need to step way from your world to enter someone else’s.
• Never think someone else’s difficulty is beyond ever reaching you.
• It is not sympathy that is needed but it is empathy, there is a difference. Pity is being thankful we are not in the same position. But those suffering need to know someone understands. 
• When we step into the shoes of the sufferer then we begin to truly understand incarnation and as such we come closer to Jesus.
• To remember someone suffering is to act on that memory; you should visit and if you can then provide and above it all pray for them.
• Do unto others what you would want them to do to you. Someone very important said similar words to that!

If you have been journeying with me through these last few chapters then you will know that Paul has been labouring extensively to prevent the false teachers from deceiving the Galatian gentiles that they need to be Jewish in order to be truly saved.

He has used strong words at times but he will reveal in this next verse that this was not because they had hurt him in some way and so he was paying them back. Far from it. This has to be the most beautiful part of the letter as we see the love of this Pastor for these people. 

“I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.” (Galatians 4 v 12)

Paul’s testimony is that he was like them. Or shall I say he had been like them. He was now completely free from the man he used to be from the person they are behaving like or at least threatening to become. But he used to be a legalist. He had spent his whole life trying to please God. He was a rule-keeper, a joyless one. “I know what I’m talking about, I was like you.” 

But he is now pleading with them. He urges them to change their way of life. Isn’t that what our own desire is also? We want our non-Christian friends to know the freedom of Christ that we have experienced. We don’t want the followers of Jesus to be burdened by rules that have been imposed by man. 

This is not arrogance. This is an urging, a longing for the people to have what Paul has. 

Who do you know that with all of your heart you long for them to know, to have, to experience what you have?

Will you tell them? 

If you have been journeying with me through these last few chapters then you will know that Paul has been labouring extensively to prevent the false teachers from deceiving the Galatian gentiles that they need to be Jewish in order to be truly saved.

He has used strong words at times but he will reveal in this next verse that this was not because they had hurt him in some way and so he was paying them back. Far from it. This has to be the most beautiful part of the letter as we see the love of this Pastor for these people. 

“I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.” (Galatians 4 v 12)

Paul’s testimony is that he was like them. Or shall I say he had been like them. He was now completely free from the man he used to be from the person they are behaving like or at least threatening to become. But he used to be a legalist. He had spent his whole life trying to please God. He was a rule-keeper, a joyless one. “I know what I’m talking about, I was like you.” 

But he is now pleading with them. He urges them to change their way of life. Isn’t that what our own desire is also? We want our non-Christian friends to know the freedom of Christ that we have experienced. We don’t want the followers of Jesus to be burdened by rules that have been imposed by man. 

This is not arrogance. This is an urging, a longing for the people to have what Paul has. 

Who do you know that with all of your heart you long for them to know, to have, to experience what you have?

Will you tell them?