What a Difference a Preposition Makes
March 21, 2009
The Scripture I read today in my daily devotional was Galatians 2:20: ” I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith OF the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
I have read this passage many times and each time I meditate on what it means to be crucified with Christ- to die to self; to live for Christ alone; that Christ lives in me and the flesh needs to move over. The problem has always been that it takes a train wreck sometimes to get my flesh to roll over and play dead. In fact my flesh cries out: ” do it my way– don’t deny me….”
For years I have prayed: ” I must decrease so that He can increase.” All good stuff. But often for me I end up trying too hard; striving and sometimes hitting my overdrive/perfectionistic button. Sound familiar to any of you?
This morning the Scripture in Galatians took on a whole new meaning just because of one little preposition ” …..and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith OF the Son of Man. My translation read “IN the Son of Man; the translation in my devotional read: “OF the Son of Man.” What a difference a preposition makes!!
Faith in the Son of Man is essential to live for Christ; but the faith OF the Son of Man is essential to live a spirit filled life. One focuses on my working to achieve through my faith the crucified life; the other rests in the assurance that the faith of Christ is at work in me producing the fruit of a Godly life.
May seem like a small thing to you, but for someone like me who wants to get it right, do it right, and achieve my goal of Christlikeness, it can become work. And the truth is that we are saved by grace and we are kept by the grace of God. We need only to love Him and surrender to His love.
Sound easy? Not for a perfectionist like me. But I plan on reading this Scripture every day and reminding myself that I live by the faith OF Christ who lives in me. And I know that HIS faith was such that He gave His very life for me. That kind of faith can move any mountain. So if you have any mountains that need moving remember the little preposition in Galatians 2:20 and rest in the assurance that Christ’s faith living in you can move all of your mountains!!
