I’m sure that you’ve heard the story of my earlier life when I lived in the Jewish way. In those days I went all out in persecuting God’s church. I was systematically destroying it. I was so enthusiastic about the traditions of my ancestors that I advanced head and shoulders above my peers in my career. Even then God had his eye on me. Why, when I was still in my mother’s womb he chose and called me out of sheer generosity! Now he has intervened and revealed his Son to me so that I might joyfully tell non-Jews about him.
Immediately after my calling—-without consulting anyone around me and without going up to Jerusalem to confer with those who were apostles long before I was —- I got away to Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus, but it was three years before I went up to Jerusalem to compare stories with Peter. I was there only fifteen days —- but what days they were! Except for our Master’s brother James, I saw no other apostles. (I’m telling you the absolute truth in this.)
Then I began my ministry in the regions of Syria and Cilicia. After all that time and activity I was still unknown by face among the Christian churches in Judea. There was only this report: “That man who once persecuted us is now preaching the very message he used to try to destroy.” Their response was to recognize and worship God because of me!
Galatians 1:13-24
Storytime
Hooray, my sisters, It’s story time! I love a good story—-specifically a “while we travel” story, like The Canterbury Tales. In the Canterbury Tales, the storytellers are making a pilgrimage like us. They journeyed to pay homage to a Saint and we are traveling uphill from death and destruction toward a free life. Ok, maybe not the same; nonetheless, we have a story to tell. Paul had a story and never missed the opportunity to tell it.
Ours, like Paul’s, is a freedom story. A story of change—-smashing boulder-lies (getting to know God for ourselves), climbing out of the pit of emotion (doubt and regret), and no longer hiding behind the cliff of “I want it my way.” This change process is always a story—-never a precise formula. One plus one never really equals two.
Sisters, we need to tell our stories—-Paul did. We remember our former lives too well; those memories weigh us down. By telling our story, we unpack the yuck of the downhill slope, carefully crafting our tales of victory.
Instead of giving us a formula, Paul simply told us his story. In his past, Paul was a make-things-happen guy (he acted on boulder-lies that he believed with all his heart and might). With every retelling, he laid down the weight of who he once was. And then revelation hit (rather blinding). He says, “when He who had set me apart before I was born had called me through His grace and was pleased to reveal His son to me.” At that, everything changed. We surrender our ways and our will to move and to make so we may be moved and made. We are no longer the action but the recipient.
We remember our former lives too well; those memories weigh us down. By telling our story, we unpack the yuck of the downhill slope, carefully crafting our tales of victory.
Paul realized God’s plan was in action before he was born. Since God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow and no respecter of persons, it is the same for us. We aren’t left alone to wander aimlessly back up our hill. We climb it knowing we have freedom, purpose, and a story. We are pre-loved and set apart. We are called and invited by His grace! That means He doesn’t look around to see who is biggest, bestest, or fastest. NO! It means that God has a capacity so large in love and purpose that he calls us to do something for us—-to give us something. Grace!!
We, like Paul, have learned these boulder-lies about who God is and how He sees us are way off base. God was pleased to reveal His son to us. Of course, there is a however to all of this. We have to LET God do something for us. We have to LET him love us. We have to LET him save us. We have to LET him bless us. We have to LET Him command us. Our part is only to look and believe, pray and obey.
Here’s reality—-it’s not what we know about God but what He already knows about us. Sisters, as we travel back up this path, our story is about what it took to cause surrender. While “self” was our center, our route took us into the darkness of hell. Surrendering made God the center. He now works in and through us. The story of learning to let Christ do his work is our story’s epicenter. We don’t live by what we know; we live by trusting in the God who is for us. We live by obedient faith, and the moment we do that, we have our first authentic taste of freedom. Sisters, it is sweet