Jesus, Our Kinsman Redeemer

 

As we prepare for Christmas in this advent season it is amazing to look back through the Old Testament and see that God was already foreshadowing the coming of Jesus.  He was setting the scene and timeline for when our True Redeemer would come for us.  The stories we read teach us about faith and encourage us to know that God provided for His people even before Jesus entered the world.  This past week I have been studying the book of Ruth.  I had no idea that this book would foreshadow the coming of Jesus!  In this book we see the redeeming work of God in the lives of Ruth and her mother Naomi.

Ruth was a Moabite.  She married the son of Naomi and Elimelek, who was originally from the tribe of Judah in the City of Bethlehem.  Because of  famine in the land, Elimelek and Naomi went to live in Moab where they had two sons who married two Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah.  Then, Elimelek died, leaving Naomi a widow.  And, both of his sons died, now both of the daugher-in-laws were both left widowed.  

The plight of a widow in that culture was bleak.  Now there were three women from the same family with no husband.  Naomi decided to go back to the land from which she came, Bethlehem.  She gave her daughters-in-law the option to remain in Moab, the land in which they were born.  Orpah decided to stay, but Ruth said, 

“Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back.  Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live.  Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.  Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.  May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”  (Ruth 1:16 &17)

I imagine how hard it was for Ruth to leave her life in Moab.  The Bible does not tell this part of her story, but she left the town she was born, her family, friends, and all that she knew.  She was willing to give it all up to go back to Bethlehem with Naomi.  This decision took great conviction and courage.

In God’s perfect timing, Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem at the time of harvest.  Back in those days God’s people were commanded not to pick or harvest the outer edges of their fields, but to leave food for the poor to eat.  (Leviticus 19:9 & 10)  So, Ruth went out to pick leftover grain for her and Naomi.  

So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters.  And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech.   Ruth 2:3

Boaz was a relative of Elimelech.  We see that God already had a plan, it was no coincidence that Ruth ended up finding food in this particular field.  When Boaz sees Ruth in the field he asks who she is.  The foreman tells him that she was Naomi’s daughter-in-law, a Moabitess.  Boaz told Ruth that she should stay in his fields to find all the grain that she could.  He told his workers not to harm her and whenever she was thirsty to drink from the water jars in the field.

Boaz did not have to treat her so kindly.  Ruth was an outsider and a Moabite, she was not one of God’s chosen people.  Boaz chooses to show her great kindness because of her devotion to Naomi.  (Ruth 2:10-13)

At the end of a day in the field, Ruth went home and gave her roasted grain to Naomi.  She told her of all that the day held in the field of Boaz.  Naomi responds,

“May the Lord bless him!”  Naomi told her daughter-in-law.  “He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband.  That man is one of your closest relatives, one of our family redeemers.”Ruth 2:20

A family redeemer is a kinsman redeemer.  Kinsman means family or relative, a man who is one of a person’s blood relations.  A kinsman redeemer was a relative that would buy the property of his deceased family member and marry his widow if she had no children.  This was a law that God had given His people to provide for widows so they would not be destitute.  A widow without children would have no one to help provide for their needs. 

We read throughout Ruth chapter 3 and 4 of how Ruth became the wife to Boaz.  He became her kinsman redeemer.  

At the end of chapter 4 we see that God blesses Ruth and Boaz with a son.  They named their son Obed.  When Obed grew up he had a son named Jesse and Jesse later had a son named David.  Through David many years later the true kinsman redeemer was born.  JESUS!!  

We are all like Ruth.  We are outsiders.  We all have sin and reasons that we do not belong to Christ.  Because of this sin we are separated from Christ.  Our sin leaves us lost and destitute, just as Naomi and Ruth were when the returned to Bethlehem as widows.  With out a redeemer we will face death and punishment for our sins.  BUT GOD!  Jesus came to earth!  Christmas!  Through Jesus we have our ultimate kinsman redeemer!  He came to earth to die in our place to pay for our debt of sin.  He bought us back to be part of God’s family and save us from all sin for all eternity.

We have 11 more days to prepare for Jesus to be born as our True Kinsman Redeemer.  Thank You God for your plan of salvation through your Son.

The Gift of Rest

Today, through the rest of the year, the daily Bible Journal will be taking a “free write” structure, where the writer is free to write about whatever biblical verse or topic they feel called to. Personally, one topic this Christmas season that has been on my mind and heart and in our prayers has been rest. In this particularly hectic season, it feels as if everything on our schedules is never-ending. This can be even further exacerbated these days by how technologically connected and constantly stimulated we are with news and entertainment. It feels as though we can never find time to rest, and when we do, it never feels sufficiently recharging. Plus there’s the guilt of not being more productive or studious when the opportunity to rest does arise.

If this sounds familiar to you right now, you might be like me: in need of a reminder of where rest comes from. Way back in Genesis 2, after bringing all of creation into being, God set the precedent that rest was holy and good by spending day 7 resting. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Even later in Matthew, in chapter 26, Jesus needs to be alone in peace and quiet to connect with God in prayer. God makes it evident that in our toil and stress, it is good and necessary to recuperate with quiet downtime. In Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.”

However, the issue lies in who we give our downtime to. Do you devote your silent moments to the television or your phone, or to God? Not that these things are inherently bad, or that you should never enjoy these luxuries. But in moments of rest, as in all things, we need God to come first. Rest is an opportunity to engage in intimate conversation with God: to come to Him, receive and ponder His blessings, and to be renewed in our spirit. In all the noise and distraction of life, it can be easiest to hear God’s voice in your heart when at peace in silence and relaxation. Beyond all, rest is a spiritual gift from God, a chance to simply be close to the Lord.

In a more simple viewpoint, our imperfect earthly bodies are just designed to rest. We need moments to recharge and engage in prayerful stillness; obviously not a coincidence, but perhaps more of a subtle affirmation from the Lord. We should take our moments of respite first as moments of prayerful listening to God speaking to our hearts before tending to our own physical wants for relaxation. So work hard, engaging in the work the Lord has laid out for you when you should. But when it is time to kick back, be sure to use it as time with God foremost, knowing it is needed and wonderful. Enjoy your moments of rest this Christmas season, and know that giving those moments of rest to others can be a powerful gift; a simple act like taking care of the evening’s chores for your spouse or watching a friend’s child for a while can offer them meaningful time to quietly visit with God, making all the difference. This Christmas season, engage the Lord in thanks and praise when you can kick back and relax, for from God comes rest, as does all things good.

John

Today’s reading is 1 John 1-2 and Revelation 1.

The Greek word for sin in the original New Testament was “hamartia” which is translated as missing the mark. Have you missed the mark? I know I have…every hour of every day of my life…maybe every minute. It is clear John wants us to realize this. God is the mark, and we miss it and Him. I’m taken back to my roots and part of the Lutheran liturgy with the words of 1 John 1:8-10…

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

Paul also states in Romans 3:23…

“..for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

John is clear not only that we miss the mark and sin, but also tells us how to avoid it as much as possible in 1 John 1:15-16…

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life- is not from the Father but is from the world.”

Constantly the world is trying to tell us what is “ok.” It’s on the internet, TV shows, commercials, movies, books, and the list goes on and on. And not only is the world trying to force things God says is wrong upon us, but the world tries to tell us that if we don’t agree with the world we are not only in the wrong, but we are also practicing hate. Isn’t it crazy what Satan is capable of and how he works? He can twist things not only from what is actually bad to make it look good, but also make the world believe what is good is hate. The world tells us we cannot dislike a sin and still love the sinner. We can because we in fact ourselves as Christians are sinners (1 John 1:8-10), and yet Christ loves us.

The first step in finding Jesus is realizing we need Him. How? We have to be truthful with ourselves about our sin problem. Let’s go back to 1 John 1:8 for a moment. We must specifically name our sins. That’s how we realize we have missed the mark and need Him. We must not compare ourselves to others and what the world says is acceptable. John tells us the world is not the mark…God is!

So, what do we do now that we realize we’ve not done what God wants? 1 John 1:9 tells us we must confess our sins, and He makes us white as snow..cleaning us from all our dirty deeds. John wants us to know we have an advocate in Jesus who took our place; He is the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:1-2). Through Him, and only through Him, do we please God. He knew we could not do it on our own..that we would miss the mark. John is clear that God had a game plan all along. John tells us God knew we needed Jesus, and Jesus was their all along with the Father from the beginning of Creation (John 1:1-5 and 1 John 1:1-2).

There is no relationship like with Him. All relationships are two sided and conditional….know matter how much we say, or even try not to make them that way. This is not the case in the relationship with Him though..He loved us before we loved Him and still loves us today when we miss the mark. All we can do is try to do our best to follow His will by walking in the light John discusses, and say, “Thanks! Praise be to God!”

James, Obedience=A Changed Life

Todays reading is James 1& 2

Years ago we were in a small group and someone in the group decided that we should study the book of James for our next study. At the time I knew enough about the book of James to know it was going to be hard hitting and direct. I didn’t want to pick it because I knew it would hold a mirror up to my heart and I would have to face the truth about sin and wrong attitudes in my life. I didn’t want to see my true reflection right then. As I read through these chapters this morning, I was just as overwhelmed by James’s message today as I was all those years ago. James doesn’t mince words. He addresses topics that are relevant to each society and every time period. It honestly took me a big chunk of time to read through these chapters today because every verse speaks clearly to my life, and every verse requires thought, evaluation, and change in my day to day living.

The James that wrote this book is not the “James” that was Jesus disciple. This James grew up with Jesus. He saw every perfect choice that Jesus made in life. He watched Jesus prioritize His relationship with God, and saw first hand, Jesus’s mission lived out for His years on earth. He saw and felt how Jesus handled His relationships with family, friends and strangers. This James was Jesus’s brother. He saw what Jesus did! (I can’t help but think of those plastic WWJD bracelets that were popular a while back.) This fact alone makes me more interested in what James has to say. I’m a practical person and I like the idea of hearing from someone who lived with Jesus. I know that all scripture is from God, but this brotherly perspective peaks my interest. Was James so direct in his writings because he had a blunt, straightforward nature, or was James so affected by what he lived with and saw in Jesus that he was driven to spell out every detail he could to help others (us) be clear in what God desires?

James covers so many relevant topics in these two chapters I couldn’t possibly begin to comment on them. He is crystal clear in his instructions so there isn’t anything I can add. So what do I do with these chapters and the rest of the book of James? I have several options.

1-I can do nothing. I can finish reading this post and not even look at James 1&2.

 

2-I can read James 1&2, feel overwhelmed, close my Bible and go about my day.

 

3-I can ask God what he wants me to do with this information so that my life will actually change.

 

The choice is mine.

 

In the five chapters of James, he lays out almost a “how to be a Christ follower’’ textbook for us to consider. He challenges us to not just hear God’s truth, but to actually do it. He wants to help us understand what it takes to be different people than we are today. He challenges us to think differently, he confronts us with our selfish and prideful ways and calls us to commit to obeying God’s word so our lives will change. Personally, this is passage is too much for me to process in one sitting. I need more time to digest, evaluate and talk with God about the changes He wants to work on with me. I need to revisit this book over and over to hear God’s words and allow them to change me. If you have read some of my other posts you know I am slow to change, and that I ask God to work on me as gently as He can and still accomplish His plan. I need to read this “textbook” often so God can speak to my personhood and specific circumstances I face throughout any given year. I think I am going to commit to reading James at least once a month in the next year.

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.” James

 

What will you do with James’s textbook?

Philemon

Philemon – while a short book – is a book that should catch our attention. The book is a letter written by Paul to Philemon, a man who we understand to be rich and important, then who becomes a Christian, and Philemon’s runaway slave Onesimus.

The slave Onesimus stole money from Philemon, then ran away. Somehow, though, Onesimus ends up in Rome where he meets Paul and is born again. Paul wanted Onesimus to do what was right – to follow through on his responsibility. He sent the runaway slave back to his master…but not empty-handed. Paul’s letter to Philemon has a big ask in it. He asks Philemon not just to accept Onesimus back from having run away, but to welcome him back as a brother – a fellow child of God.

I’m guessing the consequences for a runaway slave, once caught, were quite severe – possibly as severe as death for the slave. But Paul asks Philemon to take him in, welcome him, and treat him as a FRIEND and BROTHER. I’m trying to imagine how this must have felt to a rich and powerful person in Philemon’s social standing. Not only to let the runaway slave go unpunished – but to also treat him as an equal or better. This could not have been an easy thing for Philemon to contemplate.

Paul asked Philemon to go against the social norms, to put his faith above his status, and to demonstrate the character of God in a way that was costly to himself. Only God’s love and grace can overcome the barriers put in place between fellow humans by fellow humans.

What I really love is that Paul didn’t really even give Philemon an option.

“So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.” (vs. 17-22)

Paul lets Philemon know what the right thing to do is. He is gracious about it, and even encouraging – but he is clear.

Let your prayer today be that you deal with your fellow believers in this same way. Reach out in love – ask the “big asks” when necessary. Encourage the right way, even when it is not the norm. And be an advocate for those who need it.

Titus

Titus 1-3

For years, Titus followed Paul.  He traveled with him, studied with him and learned from him.  Paul is the model of a Christ-follower.  Only Jesus would be better.  Thankfully, Paul had only one intention with Titus.  To show him Jesus.  We have a word for this process.  Discipleship.

We are first introduced to Titus in Galatians.  Then a young Christian, he traveled with Paul teaching the gentiles.  Since he, himself, was a Gentile, he was the perfect example of how salvation is available to everyone.  This was just the beginning for Titus. As his faith grew, so did his responsibility.  Under Paul’s guidance, he mastered Biblical principles and proved his reliance on the Holy Spirit.  This is why Paul recognized him as a leader.  Discerning that he was ready for more, Paul challenged him to lead.

To help prepare Titus, Paul wrote the letters that we now read as the book of Titus.  They are his instruction.  You see, Paul was sending Titus to the churches in Crete.  He would be their leader.  This was no small assignment.  Titus would need to appoint and guide strong leaders for the church (Titus 1:6-9).  Once in place, Titus was instructed to teach the people.    They needed a wise leader that knew the Biblical principles of marriage, Christian living, and good works.  Clearly this is a huge undertaking.  Thanks to strong leaders like Paul, Titus is able to take on this huge role.  It was his discipleship that propelled him.  More importantly, it was his discipleship that enabled the Church to be Spirit-led and God-honoring.

I have two big questions from Titus.  First, who is discipling us?  Do you have someone that encourages you in the Way of Christ?  Maybe it’s your pastor, maybe a good friend.  Take a minute to reflect on the way Paul discipled Titus.  First, he was an example.  then, he encouraged and finally, he challenged.  The evidence of Titus growth from Paul was obvious.  Your growth from your discipler should be obvious too.

The second question is related to the first.  Who are you discipling? Titus accepted Paul’s challenge because it was his duty as a Christ-follower.  It is ours too (Matt 28:19).  What is your challenge?  How can you server or who can you a disciple?  It might look like serving in the nursery, or joining a small group.  Perhaps, you’ve participated in a group for a long time.  Now, it is time to lead one.  There are countless ways to serve Jesus.  I know that you have heard him calling.  Answer him today.

 

 

Plot Twist

There’s a man I know, and from early on in childhood he loved to learn. He was so fascinated by facts and figuring things out, that his parents couldn’t keep up with him. For his 5thbirthday, he asked for notebooks and pencils so he could take notes about his favorite topics. He was one of those kids that asked endless  why and how questions. In adolescence, he became especially curious about science and the human body. As he got older, he studied and learned as much as he could, eventually going to medical school and becoming a physician. He was a well-respected doctor in his field, when suddenly his life took an unexpected turn.

Plot twist – he becomes an author!

And I don’t even know if he wanted to make this change, but one thing led to another and he found himself meticulously documenting, describing, and getting everything written down that he could. His love for medicine didn’t wain, but he was so pre-occupied with this project, that practicing medicine became secondary.  He went from saving lives to writing about people’s lives, becoming a biographer and historian. He wasn’t sure why he, a doctor, was supposed to walk away from his practice and become an author, nor did he know the impact this change in direction would have. Nonetheless, he went.

He became one of the most successful, sought after authors in the world. EVER. There’s only two other authors that are more successful than him, by the world’s standards.

Meet Luke.

Biographer of Jesus and also the Apostles of the early church. His ‘project’ was advancing the gospel through truth-telling. Facts, documentation, historical accounts of salvation through Jesus.

We really know so little about Luke, and the first two paragraphs above describe my guess of what his life may have been like. Since he was such a humble servant, he kept the focus where the Holy Spirit led him: the gospel of Jesus. While we don’t have the details on his background or conversion, we do know the most important thing about him – he was a follower of Jesus. He was highly educated and trained as a physician, with great attention to detail and fact gathering. Christian tradition holds that he also drew and painted to go along with the books he wrote. He is also the largest contributor to the New Testament (Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles), only surpassed in the Old Testament by Moses and Ezra. The Bible was written by God, and these writers were called to get the words on the page. What an amazing testimony through his faith and obedience, Luke influenced generations and generations to come.  The Bible is the most read, purchased, or copied book ever in history, and Luke was one of the top three leading writers!

One of the few and final pieces of information we have recorded about Luke is from Paul’s second and final letter to Timothy. In Chapter four he notes that only Luke is still with him in the ministry, as all of his other ministry partners have scattered. This is believed to be the last letter that Paul wrote, and he was killed shortly after.

Luke seemed so focused and impassioned to advance the gospel, that his own life, career, desires were in the background. From the outside looking in, it seems like a major life change and plot twist, and Luke doesn’t even mention it!

This is so inspiring to me, someone who likes to be on a path and moving toward a certain direction. When the “plot twists” in my life come, I usually make my thoughts on it pretty well-known. Why??? When I break it all down, the goals are the same, no matter how God decides to get me there: Salvation and glorifying God. Whether that’s through motherhood, being a physician or author, being a friend, sharing the gospel with a stranger… what may feel like a plot twist in my world, is just God’s way of accomplishing his ultimate goal. Is God calling you to something that feels like a big plot twist?

If you have time this week, do some digging and get inspired by Luke. I loved reading in my study Bible about his writing style, where he’s mentioned, etc. You can find Paul’s two other brief mentions of him in Colossians 4 and Philemon 1. It was also special to read how Luke and Matthew’s accounts of Jesus’s birth come together and bring the real event to life.

Rules are made to be _______.

Recently a portion of the massive wall that lines our street collapsed. It was sudden and unexpected and it caused some panic and disruption as well as a safety risk to passers by. Fortunately no one was injured.

Immediately following this event, the police came to assess the situation and then closed the street by placing signage to warn and inform, then fences as barricades to block the passage of vehicles.

While the street is narrow and just outside the city, it is fairly busy especially during the morning commute timeframe. Motorcycles, cars, buses, bicycles and walkers all wanting to reach their destinations. Closure of this road would cause a serious disruption, especially since it is a one-way street and there are other nearby road closures.

One thing we’ve observed about our community is that while there seems to be a lot of rules, the following and enforcement of rules is very lax.

After the police departed, it took maybe two minutes for people to simply move the barriers and drive on through.

Are you picturing big, strong, tough men jumping out out their pickup trucks to move the barricades and get on their way?

If not, then good, because the perpetrators of this crime are all shapes and sizes, men and women, driving little “beep beep” cars, motor scooters, and everything else. The problem with these barricades is that they are merely lightweight aluminum fences that can easily be moved.

The police continue to move the fences back to halt the traffic, but it is futile as motorists move the fences as soon as the police leave. The police are simply doing their job for the safety of the people, however the people continue to undermine the authority of the police and put themselves and others in danger.

In today’s reading on 1 Timothy 3-4, we find a set of rules and qualifications for leaders in the church and general guidance for followers of Jesus Christ. While reading these rules it is tempting to think that they are for someone else, some may think “behind the times”, or even good to follow “most of the time”. The thing is that these rules have a history and purpose and we need to remember:

  • He is God and he gets to make the rules.
  • His word doesn’t change no matter how many years have passed since he said it. The truth, His truth remains forever.
  • His rules were made because he loves us. They are for our best interest whether we like the rules or not.
  • His word and guidance for our lives is complete and without discrepancy. We cannot pick and choose which of his commands we should follow.

If you are a Christ follower that means people are watching and observing you. Some may want us to slip up so they can make an excuse “even Christians do this and that”. As we strive to withhold God’s teaching (or if we choose to disobey) we in turn will influence others to do the same; our families, friends, co-workers and any other observer in our lives.

Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4:16)

Epaphroditus

Today’s reading:  Philippians 1-2

But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.  Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me (Philippians 2:25-30).

 

My assignment for today’s post is to write about Epaphroditus.  References to his life are appear in Philippians 2, as referenced above.  Paul wrote the book of Philippians (a letter to the church in Philippi) in about 61 A.D. from his jail cell Rome.  After hearing of his imprisonment, the Philippian church put together some kind of a care package to assist with Paul’s needs.  Biblical scholars believe Epaphroditus was probably an elder or a deacon in the Philippian church planted by the Apostle Paul.  He was also the person who delivered the Philippian church’s care package and stayed to help with the ministry Paul was carrying on from prison.  While Epaphroditus was in Rome working with Paul, he became very sick and almost died.

That’s it.  These five verses (and one honorable mention in Philippians 4) are the only references to Ephaphroditus in the entire Bible!  Since that wasn’t much to go on, I went looking for some additional information on this servant of the Lord.

My search led me to the work of Tony Campolo, a sociology professor and religious advisor to former president Bill Clinton.   Campolo tells about a study conducted with people over the age of 95 where each was asked what they would do differently if they were given the opportunity to live life over again.  Study results revealed three common themes.  If they could go back and do it again, these elderly folks said they would –

 

  • Reflect more
  • Risk more
  • Do more things that will live on after they are gone

So simple, yet so profound.  While I don’t know enough about Epaphroditus to know whether or not his life was marked by a healthy dose of reflection.  From the five verses about him in Philippians 2, however, we do know he risked a lot in service to the kingdom of God.  This kingdom has lived on for thousands of years after his life, it is a kingdom that will never end, and is definitely worth our investment.

Today I challenge you to reflect on your own life.  Are you risking enough?  Are you invested in the kingdom of God?  Could you do more?  I suspect if you’re like me the answer is yes, I could do more.

Paul

Today’s reading is from Acts 22 and Galatians 1-2.

In Acts 22 Paul is recounting his meeting with Jesus. Prior to becoming a follower of Jesus, his name was Saul and he persecuted those who claimed to be Christ followers. He was know for imprisoning and beating them.  Until Jesus stopped him as he was travelling to Damascus.

Acts 22:6-10 “As I was travelling to and near Damascus, about noon an intense light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me ‘Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?’ I answered ‘who are you Lord’? He said to me ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, the one you are persecuting. Then I said ‘what should I do Lord’? And the Lord told me, “Get up and go into Damascus and there you will be told about everything that is assigned for you to do”.

This was the turning point for our hero of the Bible, Paul. This was the day that he turned his life around and started promoting Jesus instead of destroying Him. He was used in mighty ways because of his obedience and brought many to faith in Christ in spite of his past. Or was it because of his past that he was able to connect with so many? He was an unlikely choice, an enemy of Jesus, but Jesus chose him anyway.

Paul went on to encourage others in their faith by visiting and writing letters to them.  The book of Galatians was written to the churches in southern Galatia, founded on Paul’s first missionary journey, and Christians everywhere. The purpose of the book was to call everyone to faith and freedom in Jesus Christ and to tell them that they are not bound by the Jewish law in order to be saved. He was the perfect choice to bring the Gentiles to faith because he had been on the other side of it for so long. This post doesn’t begin to detail the life of Paul. He was deeply convicted after his meeting with Jesus to tell others but it also meant pain and suffering for him. It was not an easy life, but he knew Jesus was worth it.

Paul says in Galatians 2:20-21 “I myself no longer live, but Christ lives within me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not one of those who treats the grace of God as meaningless. For if we could be saved by keeping the law, then there was no need for Christ to die.”

What is your “come to Jesus” story? Most likely you weren’t “blinded” on the way to work or in a direct conversation with Jesus, but we all have the day we decided to choose Him and be obedient. These stories are important to share with the people around us because they show radical life change through Jesus. There is probably someone around you that would benefit from your story. There is never a story too small or too big, especially when it points others to Jesus. Find someone you can encourage with your story.

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever, amen.”
Galatians 1:3-5

Shelly