And I, if I am lifted up…will draw all people to Myself. John 12:32.

I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. Proverbs 4:11.

A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way? Proverbs 20:24.

In our chapter, Galatians 2, we begin to understand the challenges, then and now, in living into all we are learning with Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. Then after an interval of fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) – well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be the pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They only asked us to remember the poor – the very thing I also was eager to do. v. 1-10. Jesus didn’t come as the people then expected Him to come. He didn’t act in the way they expected. He didn’t conform to what they thought was right. They would never have thought He, the Messiah, would be crucified. The Messiah was supposed to be with them forever. And He IS. But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law…but through faith in Christ Jesus…even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ…and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law…no flesh will be justified. But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ…we ourselves have also been found sinners…is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed…I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the Law I died to the Law…so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ…and it is no longer I who live…but Christ lives in me…and the life which I now live in the flesh…I live by faith in the Son of God…who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God…for if righteousness comes through the Law…then Christ died needlessly.” v. 11-21. Paul is speaking to the churches in Galatia because they needed the reassurance of what is real, the life which I now live in the flesh…I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Peter needed that redirected reassurance also. It is so easy to fall back into separation forgetting that God loves all of His children. A new course from of old…In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:1-5. When we forget the Light, from of old, He is here to remind us. For through the Law…I died to the Law…so that I might Live to God. We live in a world broken by sin and so we recoil from sins and the devastations they bring in real time in our lives and the lives of those we love and the lives of those God loves. But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners…is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! So even today this is hard and difficult to understand. What do we do? We trust Creator God, our Light in this darkened world. And we begin with Him. The life which I now live in the flesh – I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me. He guides us in the way of wisdom and leads us along straight paths…and it is He who Lights the way for us. Peter needed to be reminded and so do we. This is so much bigger than any of us. This is Creator God and His Creation and His Love for us His children created in His image and likeness. What we cannot yet understand, can we trust that Creator God does understand? My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2.