1 Timothy 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.

 

When God knocked Saul to the ground that day on the Road to Damascus, Saul rose up an entirely different man. This incident is the single most powerful transforming salvation experience recorded in the Word of God.

 

The prideful, arrogant, mean, hateful man was now physically blind and humble, totally dependent on those with him to help him. The man who hated Jesus Christ with every fiber of his being, now knew Him personally and called Him, Lord.

 

In Acts 9:9 we read: And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. God took Saul’s eyesight from him. He had seen so much in the natural but now, by the Grace of God, he would see in the spiritual realm. For once, he could really see!

 

The Lord did not take food and water from Saul. He did this on his own. We are not told why he did this, but it can be surmised that he did it out of pure guilt and shame. He had persecuted so many believers in Jesus and even had some killed. Not to mention his persecution of Jesus Himself. As we have been studying for the past several days, Saul actually went into the homes of believers and drug them out, and had them arrested. This was not just the men but women as well.

 

When God knocked him to the ground that day and Jesus spoke to him saying, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? Saul must have immediately knew that his whole life had been a lie and he had to have come under the greatest of all convictions. He knew God could have (and probably should have) struck him dead right there in the middle of the Road to Damascus, but He didn’t.

 

For this, Saul was most grateful as he should have been. He knew God had spared his life when he deserved death. In later years, he wrote about this to Timothy. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained Mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the Grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained Mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:12-16)

 

God has a Plan for every person on earth. To some extent, we are all like Saul prior to Salvation. Jesus willingly went to the Cross of Calvary so that we can be saved and He did it for all people everywhere. But God demonstrates His own Love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Like Saul, we all deserve to be struck dead for our sins. But by the Mercy and Love of God, Jesus has set us free from sin and death. Hallelujah!

 

 

Jesus went to the Cross to……..….turn the tide……….in your life.

 

For this, I am eternally humbled and grateful,         Doreen

 

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