Painfully Obvious

Daily Reading: Galatians 1

Scripture Focus: They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me. (Galatians 1.23-24)

Devotional Thought: In the book of Acts, we read that the Apostle Paul “formerly persecuted” the Church.  Paul was a devout and zealous Jew – of the strictest sect of his religion.  He believed that it was his duty to stamp out the Church.  He did everything in his power to stop the teachings about Jesus.  He discovered, however, that the power of Jesus was greater than his power.  The power of love was stronger than the power of hate.  The power of freedom called more loudly than the power of legalism.

It was on a “mission trip” that Paul was dramatically converted through an encounter with the risen, living Jesus Christ.  Paul’s mission was to arrest Christians and stop Christian preaching.  Instead, he ended up preaching the faith he was trying to destroy.  People immediately took note.  He became the target of defamation and persecution.  His transformation was so complete, so powerful, that he gained lifelong enemies of those who had once been his allies.

How complete and powerful is the transformation that has taken place in your life?  Do people sit up and take notice that you have been with Jesus as they did with the early apostles (Acts 4.13)?  Paul noticed it in the early Christians, and a hardened persecutor of the gospel became an ardent preacher of the gospel.  Do people praise God because of the transformation in your life?  I’ve heard it asked like this: “If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” 

I want it to be painfully obvious to all those around me that I am not the man I used to be!  May my actions, my words, my spirit toward others, my generosity, my morals – everything about me – shout: “This man is a follower of Jesus Christ!”

Prayer: Lord, I thank you that you have changed my life.  Having saved me from the penalty of sin, you also deliver me from the power of sin. May my new life proclaim the love of God to those around me.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 96.7-13

7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!

8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!

9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!

10 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity."

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

12 let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

13 before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.