SCRIPTURE: Acts 21:37-22:11
“I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’” (Acts 22:7)
Prior to conversion, Paul was a mean religious guy, zealously harassing others for God!
Many religious people are like pre-conversion Paul – mean in the Name of God!
With hate protests, suicide bombs or judgmental attitudes.
I can imagine Jesus crying out to them too, ‘why do you persecute Me?’
When a person meets Jesus Christ, they are transformed by grace and mercy and love.
They do not become less sinful, they become more aware of their sin, and of their need for grace.
I believe that somehow, an authentic experience of Jesus is needed to be transformed.
A commitment, even a zeal, for God and religion, is not enough.
I have not had a blinding encounter with Jesus, but I am slowly being changed.
He has slowly been killing the religion in me, and humbling me with His grace.
In the process, I need to die to myself, my pride, my religion, my self-confidence.
Pushing religion on people (do this not that, believe this not that) is a form of persecution.
People need Jesus, He will transform them from the inside out by His Spirit.
Let people see and experience the love and grace of Jesus through me.
And pray that He will reveal Himself to their hearts, like He did to Paul.
He is much better at changing people than we are… and it’s His job!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I want to experience You like Paul did. I want to know You, not just religion. I want to be transformed by grace. Shine on me, shine through me!