Praise the Lord! As we enter into a new week of life on earth, let us be thankful and grateful to the Lord God Almighty who has helped us so far in our lives, as prophet Samuel stated: … Thus far the Lord has helped us (1 Samuel 7:12b). It would have been impossible for us to live such a blessed life on earth without the Lord’s help and guidance, as He said, remain/abide in me, as I also remain/abide in you (John 15:4). Our life would have been aimless and miserable without God’s presence, protection, provision, and guidance. Our Redeemer God, who is compassionate and gracious, is the one who helped you and me to live a purposeful life so far on earth. In fact, our life is like a journey (short or long), and we take journeys very often in our life. Just as a journey has it’s beginning point and an ending point, our life on earth also has a beginning stage (the day we begin to exist on earth) and an ending stage (the day we cease to exist on earth). As we come across level ground or rugged paths, straight or crooked ways, high range areas or lower level areas, mountainous or plain lands, upland or highland, craggy or rocky domains, broad or narrow ways, and so on, during a journey; we may come across good days or bad days, hardships or restfulness, ease or trial days, joyful or sorrowful days, hopeless or hopeful days, or we may face any similar situations in the course of our life on earth. Whether it is in the case of our life or in the case of a journey we take once in a while, the reality is that sometimes we may feel it easier and sometimes harder, sometimes we get tired and sometimes we get refreshed, sometimes we may need to rest well and sometimes we may need to move on without pausing for rest, sometimes it is rewarding and sometimes it is not, and so on. Despite all the spiritual pitfalls, the Lord God will give rest and reward to anyone who trusts in Him as it is mentioned in the Scripture: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil (Proverbs 3:5-7). Thus, the Lord God assures His comfort and peace to all who are burdened and wearied in life, as He said: Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken (Psalm 55:22; also refer to Isaiah 40:31; Jeremiah 31:25; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:7). Jesus said to His followers who are weary and burdened: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). This means, if we start our daily life or a journey that we take with the help of God, it will be definitely rewarding at the end even if obstacles and hardships come on our way.

The Lord has blessed us with a very purposeful Scripture passage for our SftW meditation this week (Galatians 2:20). The passage brings out Paul’s personal testimony from the depth of his heart and reveals the fact of how he is connected with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Apostle Paul’s personal testimony had been so powerful, passionate, and life changing. In order to understand the significance of his personal testimony, which could be read throughout his writings, especially in Galatians 2:20, we need to know who Paul of the Bible is – that is, his life before and after he met with the glorified Christ Jesus.

Apostle Paul was not part of the original Twelve Disciple of Jesus. He was born and raised as a strong-willed Pharisee who observed the Law of Moses faultlessly and dedicated himself for the advancement of Judaism (Acts 23:6; Philippians 3:5). Since we do not have much time and space  to spare to describe all about Paul’s life before he met with the glorified Christ, let us read what Paul himself described about himself before he met with the Christ: … circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless (Philippians 3:5-6; also refer to Acts 9:1-2; 26:9-11; 2 Corinthians 11:22; 1 Timothy 1:13; ). Being an ardent follower of Judaism, he worked hard to safeguard the beliefs and practices of Judaism while opposing any other religious faith, including the newly emerged faith in Jesus Christ. However, he became a faithful follower and apostle of Christ Jesus through his personal encounter with the glorified Christ at the entrance of the city of Damascus as he was heading there to arrest the followers of Jesus (Acts 9:1-19).

Although, among the Jews he was known as Saul of Tarsus, he was widely called/known as Paul (Acts 13:9), which was his Latinized Roman name. During his encounter with the glorified Christ, Christ personally called him to be His disciple and appointed him as an apostle, especially an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Galatians 2:8; 1 Timothy 2:7). Thereafter, with the help of the Holy Spirit, he reached out to untold number of people and preached the gospel of Christ convincingly to the Jews (both Hebrew speaking and Greek speaking Jews) as well as to the people of other faiths (1 Corinthians 9:20-22). During his missionary journeys he covered so many locations near and far and founded churches.  He preached the gospel in untold number of cities, including Jerusalem, Antioch, Cyprus, Tarsus, Derbe, Lystra, Macedonia, Achaea, Philippi, Berea, Athens, Corinth, Galatia, Phyrgia, Ephesus, Corinth, Illyricum, Philippi, Troas, Miletus, Rhodes, Tyre, Caesarea, and Rome to name a few. It was his custom to visit synagogues wherever God sent him and defend his faith in Christ Jesus (Acts 17:1-4). Wherever he went, he preached the gospel in the cities (Acts 18:9-11); in the households (Acts 16:40; 20:7-12); in the prison (Acts 16:25-40a); in the market places (Acts 16:13-15); and so on. Apostle Paul suffered a lot for the sake of his faith in Jesus Christ, as Jesus foretold to Ananias that I [Jesus] will show him how much he must suffer for my name (Acts 9:16; also refer to Matthew 5:11-12; John 15:20; Philippians 1:29; Colossians 1:24; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:12-14). While he was writing to the believers in Corinth, Paul testified about some of the trials and troubles and sufferings he went through as he carried out the ministry he was called to do:

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you (2 Corinthians 4:8-12)

Paul continued writing …

We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything (2 Corinthians 6:3-10)

Paul continued testifying about the life-situation he was going through …

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:23b-28)

In addition to his preaching and teaching ministry, he was instrumental for writing thirteen (if not fourteen, if one credits the authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews to Paul) didactic and edifying letters to encourage and strengthen the believers in their faith in Jesus Christ, and these Epistles are: Romans, I & II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.

At the end of his life, Apostle Paul testified about his great hope in the Lord, saying:

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2 Timothy 4:6-8). According to the Biblical historians and scholars, Paul was beheaded in Rome during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero and buried in Rome. The tradition says that his remains are kept in the Saint Paul’s Church in Rome.

Once again, let us read the Scripture passage we have chosen for our meditation in order to analyze and understand what Apostle Paul is trying to say to us, so that we can continue to study and meditate the Scripture for our spiritual nourishment. Apostle Paul who dedicated fully for the ministry of God testified in Galatians 2:20 that …

• • … I have been crucified with Christ (2:20a)
  • … I no longer live but Christ lives in me (2:20b)
  • … the life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God (2:20c)
  • … the Son of God loved me (2:20d)
  • … the Son of God gave Himself for me (2:20e)

Dear children of God, as Apostle Paul stated: Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24), which means, we have died to sin as we have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer we who live but Christ lives in us and through us (Galatians 2:20). As our old self is dead, we are a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17); and, therefore, as of now, we are entirely different from our old self. Therefore, we do not live by sight anymore but we live by faith – faith in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:7). Let us clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh (Romans 13:14). From our meditation this week, we can understand that all those who are crucified with Christ have become one with Christ and they will live by faith in the Son of God as they are called to be the children of God: So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). Therefore, let us rededicate our life once again to do the will of God in and through our life. Let our life and ministry as well as our word and deed bring glory and honor to God and God alone. May the Lord God Almighty bless us all! Amen!