FROM PERSECUTOR TO AUTHOR
By: Whitney Northern
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
(Acts 9:1-2 NIV)
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. (Acts 9:3 NIV)
At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. (Acts 9:20 NIV)
If there is a story that should give you hope, it’s this one. At the start of this story, we see that Saul is searching high and low for Christ’s followers. His goal was to throw every single one of them in jail. In the very next verse, Saul has a divine interaction with none other than Jesus Christ himself! Light from heaven, the voice of Jesus, and a very important question: “...Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4 NIV)
Immediately, Saul realizes his mistakes. Jesus tells him to go into the city and wait. For three days, Saul is blind, until a man by the name of Ananias shows up. Within what seems like moments, Saul’s sight is restored and he is baptized in the Holy Spirit. From that day on, he preached the exact message of God for which he persecuted so many others.
We later learn that Saul also goes by another name: Paul. Who is Paul? He is the author of nearly half of the New Testament. The moral of the story is that God can use absolutely ANYONE.
Father God, thank You for choosing us even when we deem ourselves unfit to serve You. Help us to open our hands and let go of the past mistakes we fight so hard to hold on to. Use us as vessels for Your kingdom! We give You thanks and praise this day and we pray all this in Christ’s name. Amen.
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
(Acts 9:1-2 NIV)
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. (Acts 9:3 NIV)
At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. (Acts 9:20 NIV)
If there is a story that should give you hope, it’s this one. At the start of this story, we see that Saul is searching high and low for Christ’s followers. His goal was to throw every single one of them in jail. In the very next verse, Saul has a divine interaction with none other than Jesus Christ himself! Light from heaven, the voice of Jesus, and a very important question: “...Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4 NIV)
Immediately, Saul realizes his mistakes. Jesus tells him to go into the city and wait. For three days, Saul is blind, until a man by the name of Ananias shows up. Within what seems like moments, Saul’s sight is restored and he is baptized in the Holy Spirit. From that day on, he preached the exact message of God for which he persecuted so many others.
We later learn that Saul also goes by another name: Paul. Who is Paul? He is the author of nearly half of the New Testament. The moral of the story is that God can use absolutely ANYONE.
Father God, thank You for choosing us even when we deem ourselves unfit to serve You. Help us to open our hands and let go of the past mistakes we fight so hard to hold on to. Use us as vessels for Your kingdom! We give You thanks and praise this day and we pray all this in Christ’s name. Amen.