GALATIANS 1 REVISITED

What’s your pearl? What is the one thing you want more than anything else and if you looked about at all the heartache
or joy in your life you would see it revolving around the pursuit of this one thing. You were happy when you had it and
terribly upset when you didn’t.

Look at God’s actions to see how He thinks about you. Don’t let your thoughts just wander; don’t accept past
explanations of God’s heart toward you. Look at what He had written about Himself:

God started planning for you before the foundation of the earth.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
Ephesians 1.4

Way back then God dreamed you up and fell in love with the idea of you.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8.28

He crafted you with unique creativity in your mother’s womb.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully
made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139.13-14

And set in motion a galaxy sized plan to save your soul.

And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Romans 8.30

Then He stepped off the throne, out of heaven and into the skin of a man to meet you where you are.
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the
very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and
became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Philippians 2.6-8

He lived a perfect live.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every
way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
Hebrews 4.15

Died an excruciating death.

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he
was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by
God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that
brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53.3-5

Then He took on death and came out of the ring the victor.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace,
who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its
commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,
Ephesians 2.13-15
Then through His Spirit and His Word He led you to meet Him for the first time; He’s known you all along and known
that you didn’t know Him or wouldn’t love Him so He goes out to you.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5.8

God rescued your soul from death.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present
evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Galatians 1.3-5

Now He pours new blessings on you every morning.

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your
faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
Lamentations 3.22-24

Defends you from condemnation.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our
defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the
whole world.
1 John 2.1-2

Prays for you.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for
us with groans that words cannot express.
Romans 8.26

And eagerly waits for you to be in Heaven with Him.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would
have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be
with me that you also may be where I am.
John 14.1-3

After looking at these facts from Scripture doesn’t it make sense that the greatest commandment is that we love God
back? Maybe you need to talk to Him about how you’ve missed the boat. How you’ve let other things take that one
place in your heart that should be reserved for God. How you’ve sinned, and it’s personal because He has risked it all to
win your heart. You can write your response to God on the bottom of this page.