Thank heaven for Study Bibles; I am currently using one for my Disciple Two Bible Study and it provided me with some wonderful insight into what is a very short scripture with (from where I stood) not a lot of meat on its bones (shows how much I know)!

In the first verse (King James version), Paul says he was called to be an apostle "separated unto the gospel of God"... the key word here is "separated". It says that separation can be both a positive and a negative action. My Study Bible said that Paul's meaning was that he was "sanctified [or] set apart for salvation and service" ~ a positive action. And it also means that he wished to be removed or separated from anything that was contrary to the will of God ~ which, in a way, is a negative action.

It can be very hard to separate the day we celebrate the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to earth from the commercial holiday that Christmas has become. It seems like we all (guys, too!) morph into "Martha's" in the truest Martha Stewart sense of the word this time of year. We worry about cleaning the house and getting the decorations just right and baking the right cookies and buying the right presents (& the right NUMBER of presents!) for loved ones.

We are so busy being Martha-like and feeding the commercial aspect of this event that we forget to sit at the feet of God, as Mary did, and simply worship him for what he did and what it meant. Oh, we may slow down enough on Christmas Eve, after everything is baked and wrapped and ready, to catch a glimpse of the glory ~ to look for the treasure underneath the tinsel. But is it enough? We know it is not ....

The study Bible goes on to say that "without being separated, you can have relationship with God but you cannot have fellowship with Him...you may try, but not trust ... war but not win." Instead of having a rich & abundant Christian life, it will be one of "wood, hay, stubble."