You’ve got to love the Apostle Paul. He walked in divine humility and confidence–at the same time.
In his letter to the Galatians, he opened with this greeting: “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from their present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Galatians 1:3-5).
Paul was always careful to give God all the glory for our salvation, as he reminded us that it was God’s will for us to be saved. We don’t have to work for our salvation. Jesus gave Himself for us “according to the will of God.” And Paul was confident of this very thing.
Then, with just as much confidence, he would declare God’s desire to be seen in the believer. “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me…” (Galatians 1:15-16).
This reminds me of the statement: You are Jesus in street clothes.
In other words, Paul understood that God wanted Jesus to be seen–even after He had left the earth–and this was only possible through believers (His children). Similar to the old adage: “Like father, like son… Like mother, like daughter…” our motto should be: “Like Jesus, like us…”
Think about it! How wonderful it is for Jesus to be seen in us! YET… Many Christians shy back from declaring (as Paul did) that God’s will is for Jesus to be seen IN THEM. We’ll say it of others, but we struggle with acknowledging this truth for ourselves.
And I’ll agree there is a fine line we must walk between gracious humility and bold confidence. The goal is for God to be glorified.
The truth is, Jesus is still walking the earth, ministering to the multitudes, healing the sick and brokenhearted… He’s just doing it through you and I now. And I’ll add, He is doing it with great confidence, for He Himself said, “He who believes in Me, the work that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” (John 14:12).
Jesus is living in us! And God’s will is for Him to be REVEALED in us! So strive today to let God show, display, exhibit, manifest, and unveil His Son in you.
