… was pleased to reveal his Son in me …
Summary: Our brain is a marvelous tool, but we have to double check its work to make sure we are on the right track.
The human mind is a fascinating creation.
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Given the mind’s ability to unscramble words in real-time, it is no surprise that it can also ____ in the blanks as you read.
Sometimes, this “auto-correct” feature in our brains changes the meaning of a sentence. If a sentence says something unusual, our brain does its best to make sense of the words it sees. (This is why two different people can see or hear the same thing and walk away with two different understandings of what happened or what was said.)
Today’s passage is part of a sentence that reads:
“But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.” (Galatians 15-16)
My first readings of today’s passage sounded like this in my head:
“But when God, … was pleased to reveal his Son to me …”
Surely Paul meant that God revealed his Son to him, right? After all, the story about Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus fits within that description better than “in me.”
But that is not what Paul says. The Greek text is clear on this. Paul is using the preposition “in,” not “to.”
What does this mean?
Paul’s conversion (Acts 9) is the story of man versus God. Paul was on a mission to wipe out what he believed was a corruption of the true faith in God. God, as we know, had other ideas. To get his attention, God had to stop Paul in his tracks. He had to introduce Paul to Jesus in person.
But then what?
Paul says that God revealed Jesus in him.
Is Jesus in you, too?
Application: Finding Jesus is easy if you know where to look.
Food for Thought: What does it mean that Jesus is in you instead of outside you?
What does it mean that Jesus is in you instead of outside you?
Makes you think twice about communion.
Tim,
Interesting thought! Communion is taking in the physical representation of Christ, the body and blood. Perhaps as a reminder that spiritually, Christ is already in us?
Loved this devotion! I’m reminded of what John 15:4 says :
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.“
Thanks Brent!
Great reference passage. 🙂
I love this morning’s devotion and the final question so much because it is truly why I hold my relationship with Christ so dear. Jesus is alive in my heart, and I am never alone, and there is no thought, emotion, or desire that He does not understand, nor is willing to help to align with the Will of God. His Word is alive, and I hear his words in His Word. It casts out fear and doubt.
If He were outside of me, I might lose sight of Him. Because He is inside of me, He is always one thought, one prayer, one calling upon His name from me. I don’t need to go somewhere, or do something to get His attention, just keep my focus on Him.
1 John 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Thank you, Chris.
Beautifully said!
Yes. I agree with the sentiment in the other comments and I like CH’s use of 1 John 4:4.
In Matthew 28: 20, Jesus said that He is with us always, even to the end of the age. He is with us because He is in us. Of course, there is a oneness in the Godhead. Jesus said that He and the Father are one (John 10: 30). In John 17: 21, Jesus prays that we may be in Him and The Father just like the Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father. And of course the Holy Spirit lives “in” us (Ephesians 3: 16, amongst many other passages).
This truth of God in us through faith in Christ is a key difference between a religion that has outward appearances but is cold and shallow, and having a relationship with the Living Lord.
Amen!
Thank you, Rich.
Our shepherd is with is all day and all night, every day.
What a blessing!
01-03-2024, What does it mean that Jesus is in you instead of outside you?
By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus comes to dwell in the heart of each believer. The heart is the control center of our life. The prevailing desire of our heart will govern the direction of our life. So it is important to know our own heart. John 14:20, 15:4, 17:21, 17:26
Ezekiel 36:26, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Jesus tells us, some of the stones which must be removed first are.
A heart set on the approval of others. John 5:44
A heart set on material gain. Mark 10:25
A heart loyal to a loved one who is not a Christian. Matthew 10:37
A heart set on maintaining a comfortable life. Luke 14:27
Addictions to sin. John 3:19-20
John 14:17, The Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He remains with you continually and will be in you.
Jesus becomes the power to live within the will of God, as He serves others through each of us.
Ron,
Thank you for giving us a fantastic overview of God’s presence in our heart.
It is worth emphasizing that God says, “I will remove from you your heart of stone…” We do not have to clean house before God enters in. He meets us where we are and in time, and with our consent, helps us clean house.
Great point, He is the power to clean our hearts. Many of us surrender one step at a time.