Blogging toward Sunday

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The Lectionary readings for Sunday include Psalm 146 and Galatians 1:11-24. In order to get a clearer perspective on the situation in the church of Galatia, it would be helpful to read the entire chapter.

After you have prayerfully read the text, consider the following:

1. What is the tone of the beginning of the letter?
2. How does the tone change in verse 6?
3. What is the issue Paul is addressing?
4. In response to the challenges before him, Paul tells the story of his own calling in a way that highlights God's initiative. 

No doubt, Paul was a man with a strong personality. Even today there are people who are less than fond of Paul, thinking of him as arrogant and self-righteous. As you journey toward Sunday, reflect on your own feelings toward Paul. What do you like about him? What do you dislike? Have you ever given him much thought at all?

In his book, Paul for Everyone: Galatians and Thessalonians, Tom Wright has this to say:

We are all different, and as the old Puritan said, God does not break all hearts in the same way. But it is a central strand of most Christian living that everybody needs, from time to time, to wrestle privately with God and his will. It is necessary, too, that church leaders should be seen to be telling their own story truly. For Paul, his story was closely linked with  God's unveiling of Jesus as the true messiah, the crucified and risen Lord of the world. His life, his vocation, his whole identity was stamped with the gospel message.

May God bless you this week. As always, I look forward to seeing you at the Celtic Worship Service Saturday at 5 p.m. and at worship on Sunday.

Shalom,
Glenda