March 10, 2017: SOAP #2654:  Deuteronomy 13-15; Galatians 1

Scripture:  Galatians (NIV) 1:16 … I did not consult any man, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. 
18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. 
19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother.

 Observation:     After his time in seclusion, Paul goes to Jerusalem.  He saw James, the head of the church, but the emphasis is on the meeting with Peter.  I know I am reading between the lines, but I wonder if it was not because Peter had denied the Lord yet was restored to ministry by the Lord.   I wonder if Paul was not working through his feelings of having persecuted the Lord’s body so fervently.  I wonder if he identified with Peter and was interested in knowing how Peter had worked through his failings.  Perhaps Paul was wondering if he could be accepted in the church.  I wonder if Peter’s failings did not provide encouragement for Paul.   (It is interesting to note that Paul did not force his ministry on the church.  His ministry did not start until Barnabas came looking for him.) 

Application:   Everyone has a past.  Not everything in our past is something we enjoy remembering.  What a great joy to know that God forgives and forgets our past.   I have found that God takes the sins of my past and moves them from my active memory and makes them like something I read about in a book.  Then at times He uses the lessons learned to help others.
     

Prayer:   Lord, You are Lord of my present and my past.  If something in my past is useful to encourage others, it is Yours.  Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!