April 13-My Weakness, His Strength

Happy Friday to you. This morning I’m going to attend the funeral of a lady that was someone I could always count on. When I had a project at the college and no money, i could call her and she would say “Pam, we can do that.” She was consistent and always willing to help me out with even the strangest of ideas because she believed in what we were doing. She was a rock for me. Much like Peter was to eventually be for the church but not so much here in Galatians 2. 

(From Philip) We see here glimmers of the old Peter - the one who doubted Jesus when he was walking on the water, and the one who denied Jesus three times when pressured.  Now, he faces the judgement of the Jewish powers he respects, and he folds faster than Superman on laundry day.

Paul calls him on this.  He points out that, if Peter will ignore the Jewish table laws to eat with Gentiles, how is it that he now is acting as though he requires those Gentiles to observe those laws?

"If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to behave like Jews?"

And of course Peter is in the wrong, here.  He is not acting consistently with the truth of the Good News, that Jesus is saving His people, and part of that salvation is rebuilding God's people out of both Jew and Gentile so that there is no difference before God. This is something Peter agrees with, but when the rubber meets the road, he is afraid of what man will think of him.

And can't we all see ourselves in that?

But good news - God does not leave us where we are.  This same Peter who is afraid to eat with Gentiles in front of "the circumcision party" (which sounds like a terrible party if you ask me) is also the same Peter who tells them in Acts 15 not to lay a yoke on the Gentiles that they themselves cannot bear - the Law!

Do you see what happened there?  Peter's own weakness in Galatians 2 becomes the very foundation of his defense in Acts 15!  "I, a Jew, can't keep the Law, so how can we force the Gentiles to do it?"

““So why are you now trying to out-god God, loading these new believers down with rules that crushed our ancestors and crushed us, too? Don’t we believe that we are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us just as he did those from beyond our nation? So what are we arguing about?”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:10-11‬ ‭MSG‬‬

(Pam: and Paul was sitting right there when he gave this passioned speech—can’t you just see Paul leaning back in his chair and saying “yeah, he gets it now!”)

This is exactly what Paul said to him that fateful day they argued over dinner.

We may despise our shortcomings, and to a certain extent, this can be good.  We should want to live more and more consistently with the gospel.  But we serve a God who is not only gentle, patient, and forgiving, He also takes those same shortcomings and brings about good.  His strength becomes apparent in our weaknesses.

(Pam) Praise God that His strength will show where I am weak because I have so very many of those weaknesses. 

Great Jehovah how tremendously perfect it is that when we are we you are strong. We can know without a doubt you are working and you are in our life. Father God we praise you for answered prayer, for deliverance, and for your grace. You are a great God who takes care of us and loves us through the toughest of times. Hallelujah to the Risen King! Amen and amen. 

Love you dear one, 

Pam

God of Comfort, I pray that you would sent your Comforter for the Babbitt family today, that you would wrap them in your love and mercy.