Thursday January 9

He Had to Change Course

Phil. 3: 8 …I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ. (NLT)

Paul was one rough guy. He hated those Christians and they knew it. He put all his energy into persecuting them. He hunted them down, arrested them, threw some of them into jail, deprived them of their jobs, beat some of them, drove some away from their homes and even joined with other enemies in stoning some of them to death. These enemies made him feel important, treated him like the “real big man”. When he had caused a lot of trouble for Christians in Jerusalem he got permission to go to the city of Damascus and persecute Christians there too.

But God loved this bad guy and God knew that the bad guy would be a good guy to do His work instead of Satan’s work. So God stopped him on the road to Damascus (you can read the story in Acts chapter 9) and God showed him that what he was doing was wrong. Paul got to see Jesus and how much Jesus loves people – even sinful, wicked people who persecute His children. Paul saw that through Jesus everyone in the world can have forgiveness and hope for a happy life. Paul saw that after all that he had done God was willing to forgive him and give him a new life.

So, guess what! This bad guy became a good guy and worked even harder for God than when he was a persecutor. When he really got to know Jesus he said, “Nothing else in life is as sweet, or valuable or important as knowing and serving Jesus”. If you really know Jesus you will say the same thing too. Your studies, your job, your career, your relationships, your popularity, nothing will be as important to you as Jesus. So, get to know Him by studying His word, by talking to Him in prayer and by trying to follow His instructions. You too will be happy that you “changed course”.

Lord, if you could change Paul, I know you can change me too. I want that change. Help me today, I pray, in Jesus’ name, amen.