If I hadn’t gotten sick…

Galatians 4:12-20

12 Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws.

You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. 13 Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News. 14 But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. 16 Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?

17 Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. 18 If someone is eager to do good things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I’m with you.

19 Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. 20 I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you.

Have things ever just not gone the way you planned? Maybe you thought you were going to get the chance to hang out with a friend, but something came up and you had to reschedule. Or, maybe you were going to take a day trip to the beach, but were sick and couldn’t do so.

Well, in Galatians 4:13 Paul reveals that the only reason he preached the Gospel to the church in Galatia in the first place was because he was sick and could not continue on his journey. Paul worried that he would be a burden to the people, but they “received him as an angel of God” and did not scorn or despise him for his illness even though it was a trial to them.

Paul experienced what many of us do all the time, an unwanted change of plans, but he was able to make the best of it and preach to the church in Galatia. The people there had so much respect for Paul that he said, “you would have gouged out your eyes, and given them to me.”

The first time Paul was in Galatia the people adored him and were very receptive of his message, but something was different this time. Paul asks, “What then has become of your blessedness?” and “Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” The people didn’t want to hear what Paul had to say anymore and no longer accept him.

Paul reminds the church that they should be doing good and serving God even when he  was not present and then addressed them as his little children. By doing this, he lets them know that he feels responsible for them and wants what is best in a way similar to that of a father.

We should, unlike the church in Galatia, be careful not to only do good when we are in church or around a certain person, but live our lives for God all the time and not change our personalities or actions depending on the situation.

Questions:

1.   Are you living more like the Galatians the first or second time Paul visited them?

2.   What changes do you need to make in your life in order to become more the church during Paul’s first visit?

3. “Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through ________ pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully __________ in your lives.”

4. Take some time and journal about this passage.

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Written by Hannah