Last night our girls bible study finished up Philippians. The way we have been looking at it is we print up two translations of the same passage, and then read both translations. Then we talk about the passage, themes, things we liked, things we didn't, things that confused us. It's really good for a group that doesn't have time to study and read on there own or if you usually have new people drop in because they won't feel odd by not having read the passage, there is no homework so it's easy to just stop by and enjoy.
By looking at both translations sometimes things can become more clear or just strike us more. I have heard Philippians 4:13 many times "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (NASB) but one of our student brought to my notice the Amplified version
What I love about bible studies is I can read something and really not see it until someone else brings it up. I read this verse and didn't find anything that interested me, then one of the girls pointed out the last bit "I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency". Self-sufficient, especially to an american, means on my own, not being dependent, my own person. And yet here Paul says what makes him able to survive without the help of others is through Christ. We discussed this verse for awhile and I have kept thinking about it ever since. It's so out of our normal mindset and yet totally is what the Christian walk is all about. I am only enough with Christ. My flesh is sinful, I always fall short of God's glory, on my own works I am not good enough to even look in God's direction. Yet because of Jesus and His gift, I can have daily interactions with the God of the universe. I am enough because Christ was enough for all of us!
This self-sufficient yet dependent on Christ's sufficiency reminds me of the discussion of freedom in Christ. The fact that we are all slaves to something but to be a slave to the flesh is to serve a harsh master while to be a slave to Christ really gives us the most freedom. I feel that again with this verse, we all like to think we are self-sufficient and yet how many of us could actually survive without others? And without complaining? Earlier in Philippians Paul talks about how he is content whether he is rich or poor, whether he is full or starving. Paul is satisfied with Christ, he has what he needs in Christ. It's humbling when I think of how dissatisfied I get when I can't eat a favorite food, I'm not even starving.
Moments like that make me so excited that I get to study the bible with others. I skimmed right over that line, didn't give it a second thought. The week after next we are going to start on Acts, and no we have no hopes of making it through by the end of the quarter. But I'm definitely excited about it.
Our campus is part of what the Navigators call the Sunland Region (California, Hawaii and Arizona). The EDGErs (first and second year in training Navigators) that can meet about once a month to do a study called Route 66. It's an overview of the entire bible (66 because there are 66 books in the bible). Two different people lead each time, Tom and I lead for the prophecy section and the one next week we are leading again, this time it's Acts. I have enjoyed studying it the last few weeks and when trying to decide what to study next for our girls bible study, I realized I wouldn't mind starting again on it and getting to read it with friends.
So I have been praying about it, I had been wanting to do something in the OT because I have really been enjoying that but I feel like part of the reason I am able to enjoy it so much is I know the NT well enough to see the connections and I am so excited seeing how God is still the same, His heart and His plan are still the same. But if I did the bible study with the girls those connections they probably wouldn't see on their own and I feel it is so much more powerful when you find those connections on your own then someone just pointing them out. Though both experiences are exciting.
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