“Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples… suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus…’”
“He began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God… All who heard him were astonished… he preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.” (Select verses from Acts 9)
Lord Jesus, though the Bible is gloriously complete, its ongoing story of redemption continues—opposed, but not hindered. The Saul-becoming-Paul story is one of the clearest expressions of this grand grace-reality.
All of history is tied to your commitment to redeem an every-nation Bride for yourself. Hallelujah, we shall all gather at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb—not a day early, and not a day late.
As with Saul of Tarsus, you still sovereignly convert unlikely men and women, dress them in your perfect righteousness, and deploy them into your Kingdom-service. This can happen any time; in every place you so choose.
Today, I join my brothers and sisters, asking you to do so among the Taliban in Afghanistan, and in every other place your Bride is being terrorized and persecuted. Sovereignly save, and powerfully send forth new Paul’s and “Pauline’s” from among the ranks of those filled with hate.
One forever-Day, we will see and celebrate how you answered this prayer. Forgive us for fearing more than “faith-ing.” So very Amen we pray, in your beautiful and powerful name.