Read the Word:
Acts 9:19-31
Meditate on the Word:
I always like to imagine the shock on people’s faces when they heard Saul (who we would later know as Paul) proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah. He had consented to Stephen’s killing for the exact same thing. He had come to Damascus with a letter allowing him to arrest those who called on the name of Jesus. It sounds like it took a few days for the Jews in the synagogue to believe that was what he was saying. Then, when their initial shock wore off, they decided to kill him. He had no place among the Jews anymore.
Of course his reputation in Jerusalem meant that he didn’t really have a place with the disciples either, at first. After all, he had tried to kill them, so they took a little while to warm up to him. He also encountered resistence from the Hellenistic Jews who tried to kill him. Some very wise people got him out of town for a bit.
Perhaps we do not face death for our faith, but can we sometimes face isolation? Can we be rejected by those who were previously our friends? Can it be hard to fit in to a community of faith? Is it possible for us to make enemies at every turn for simply trying to communicate our faith? Yes to all the above. While Paul was working out his newfound faith, he had to become reliant on Christ and submit to His will. This was not easy, but Paul did find his place planting churches and writing 13 of the books of the New Testament. When we seek Christ, we will also find our place.
Pray the Word:
If you are having a difficult time with people in your life, confess this to God and ask for wisdom in your relationships with them.
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