October 17
The Apostle Paul laid his life on the altar for the Christ he discovered on the Road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-20). Fervent zeal for his beliefs did not originate in Paul after his conversion to Christ. He had been resolute in his persecution of the fledgling Church prior to his eyes being open to behold the glory of the Lord (Acts 7:55-Acts 8:3).
Paul understood what it meant to be misguided. He knew what it meant to desire to serve God above all else only to discover that his good intentions were totally counter to the will and the purposes of the Holy One! There are many among us who evidence the same misguided fervor as did the apostle.
Like him, they, too, can be visited by the Savior in the midst of their evil pursuit; they, too can be turned from wickedness to righteousness as the figurative scales are removed from their eyes even as literal scales were removed from the eyes of Paul (Acts 9:18). They will then be able to affirm with Paul his message to believers in Philippi.
“Do what you learned and received from me, what I told you and what you saw me do; and the God who gives peace will be with you,” Philippians 4:9. Paul knew his misguided zeal drove him to do wickedly before the Lord, but the truth set him free to serve Jesus in righteousness. The apostle who laid down his life for the Savior he loved encourages us to do the same.
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