Monday, July 22, 2013
Acts 9:1, 3-6 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord ... came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads." So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?"
ACTS OF GOD IN ACTS -- CONVERSION
Who would be on my "Least likely to be a Christian" list? My initial thoughts might lean towards some very corrupted national leaders guilty of genocide or other war crimes, cold-blooded serial killers, or even the neighbor who seems to not care about anybody but himself. Looking at culprits from the Bible, Saul would have to be on the top of my list strictly from what Acts 9:1 says about him.
Jesus once warned His disciples of the world's hatred that was soon to come saying, "They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me." Doesn't that sound like Saul? In his zeal, he thought he was truly serving God, but he was rather serving the devil in his anti-christian persecution of the followers of the Way -- Jesus Christ.
It took the light of Christ, literally, for Saul to see clearly the grievous errors of his way. But Jesus had a divine purpose for Saul, whose name became Paul. God's conversion of Saul turned him 180 degrees!
But is God's divine purpose really any different for me? Apart from the light of God's Word I would be against Christ also. My sin separates me from Christ's light and shows that dark sinful nature that still clings to me. But thanks to my triune God He has, like He did with Saul, taken ACTION in calling me through His Gospel and brought my dead heart to life -- life in Christ! In astonishment and joy I join Paul in asking, "Lord, what do You want me to do?"
