So That … !

                                              So That … !

In my quiet time –  I have been reading through the book of Galatians.  I am fascinated by Paul explaining of his encounter with Jesus. He shares how he was in the beginning a persecutor of the Christians and caught up in the traditions of men.  Acts 9 and 22 give much more detail of this encounter. Verse  15 of Galatians  chapter 1 continues with ‘But when God…’   don’t you just love it… we all need a ‘but when God’  in our lives… he goes on to say that God called him by His grace and that God ‘revealed‘ His Son in him.

The word Paul chooses to use for reveal, is thought provoking… there are 2 uses for this Greek word  reveal, one is used to describe something given to the mind, God reveals to the intellect of man.  But here Paul uses the other usage… this revealing is done to the ‘senses‘, to sight, hearing, feeling, touching… then it says that what God revealed to Paul’s senses was NOT given ‘to’ him, but ‘in‘ him… this ‘in’ literally means ‘to come to rest, to settle’ – God was coming to rest ‘in’ Paul by means of his senses.   Meaning, when Jesus presented Himself to Paul (remember the bright blinding light) He was appealing to his senses NOT his intellect, because Paul was a highly educated man, a thinking man,  God was getting past his head (so he could NOT rationalize this all away) straight to his heart – to his feelings.   Paul saw  (with a heart of understanding) Jesus for Who He was, NOT what he might think He was…. (thus the blinding!) hope that makes sense… the verse goes on to say, that all this was done … so that…  he could preach … go – do – and be what he was called to.  Just a few verses away, Paul says ‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me’ (Gal. 2:20)
 
I want this!  I want Jesus to so capture me, that my senses are wrapped securely in HIM… I want this revelation ‘in’ me… not just around me, or near me, I don’t want to only observe it in others.   I desire the Lord to ‘come to rest’ and settle in me, (all the while I’m sure getting a few things ‘settled’)

I appreciate that the word of God is so practical – we find that God gives with purpose, even if that purpose is to know His un-limited love.  The phrase ‘so that’ is powerful… it says,  ‘this is why’.  God knocked Paul over with a blinding light appealing to his senses, and came to rest within him… so that… (this is why)  ‘he might preach’.   And preach he did!

We find this too in the following verses: (please read carefully, these verses may be very familiar, but read them as if for the first time)

Deut. 5:33  

Walk in the ways of the LORD your God
 so that you may live and prosper.

2 Tim. 3:16,17    

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped
for every good work
 
Ephesians 1:17    

Paul prays ‘I keep asking that the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the
Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better’. 

 Hebrews 4:16    

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help
us in our time of need.

Ephesians 6:11  

Put on the full armor of God so that you can
take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

John 16:1           

 Jesus says, ‘I have told you all this so that you
 will not go astray’.

In short  …  

Walk in obedience to Him … so that … you live and prosper
God breathed His word to us …. so that … we are equipped
Spirit of wisdom and revelation …. so that … we know Him better
Come to the throne … so that … we receive mercy and grace
Put on God … so that … we stand against the devil
Jesus said … so that … we won’t wander but stay with Him.

We all have a ‘so that’ connected to us.   Exciting!  God is, does, and gives ‘so that you ….’    All this ‘so thating’ (just coined a phrase) is not for us alone!  I am learning that as I study, teach and mentor others… God in me ‘so that…’

May we too have Jesus reveal Himself in us,  come to rest and settle.  May He get pass our head  – to our heart, and why?  So that you ___________  (you fill in the blank).

Have a God-loving,  Jesus revealing week!
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me LORD…)