Paul loved to tell the story of his amazing conversion. His one theme was gratitude to Christ for saving him. He never got over the wonder and joy of this. Too many Christians today have lost the wonder of their salvation and even the joy of it. They are going through the motions without knowing the thrill of being saved. In verse 13 Paul gave a vivid description of his past life. He was the John Newton of the first century. There were three ways in which he opposed Christ. He was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. We have never been told the fate of some of those mentioned in Acts 8:3. "Saul began to destroy the church....he dragged off men and women and put them in prison." This was the man Christ saved. In verse 16 Paul tells us one of the reasons he was saved - that in Him Christ might display His unlimited patience as an example of His great kindness. God did even more than that - He took this unlikely vessel and made him one of the greatest preachers of the Gospel which this world has ever known (v.12). God made him His servant, His minister, His representative, and His ambassador. And God is still the same today. He can take unlikely people and turn them into evangelists of the Gospel. That is the unlimited power of God. What God did for Paul, He can do for each of us. He can do it for those we are praying for. In Romans 16:7 there is a reference to Andronicus and Junias, relatives of Paul whom Paul said were "in Christ before him." Is it too much to think they were some of those who were praying for Paul before he was converted? Did they see in Paul one whom God could mightily use if only he would come to Christ? It could well be so. We will meet them all in Heaven some day. Are you praying now for someone, a friend, a relative, whom you believe is unsaved and yet you see great potential in their lives if they were converted? Keep on. Someone probably prayed for you to come to Christ. Keep on. God answers prayer and He longs to see men and women saved and serving Him. Pray on. |
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