Divine Parentheses

This morning as I was reading in Galations I was struck by a verse that is bookended by parentheses. "Odd.", I thought to myself. Usually, when I use parentheses, I use them to enclose an afterthought. I don't know if this is the proper use of them or not, I was never very good in English (just don't tell my son! (see, an afterthought)). I am not sure that the parentheses used here by Paul are an afterthought or not. I am sure that it does not matter because these parentheses are contained in the word of God and therefore, true.
I was very encouraged and excited once again to be spoken to by the word of God! Galations 2:8 says

(for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles).


That same ''he'' is also working in modern day believers! That same ''he'' is working in you Christian! Let us live that way! I praise God for his triune ministry to us as believers, for He who has began a good work in us WILL complete it! (Phil. 1:6)

A test we cannot fail

This week I finished 2 Corinthians.
13:5 says,
"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!"

These are hard words for me to swallow sometimes. I find it much easier to look at others. My examination of them often makes me feel better about myself. "My sin isn't that bad!"

I know it's not true. My sin is that bad and worse. It is my sin that put Christ on the cross. It is my sin that I need to deal with. It is my sin that keeps me awake at night. It is me that I am told to examine.

Christianity is not easy. I praise God that he tells me that, His divine power has given me everything I need, and His grace is sufficient for me, and that I can do all things through Him!

It is this testing of ourselves that reveals to us who we really are. Let us not fail to meet the test!