[Thursday's Devotional] - Unrepentant?

In Acts Chapter 9 we hear the story of Saul’s conversion:

 

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.  As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.

"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." Acts 9:1-6 [CEV]

 

And later….

 

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.  At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.  All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 9:19b-22 [CEV]

 

What a difference a few days can make in a life….

 

Saul was transformed in his thoughts words and deeds by a personal meeting with Jesus who he had been persecuting.  So much changed in his life that he changed his name from Saul to Paul.  Our experience may be less dramatic than Saul’s – yet every day we need to repent (to turn away from our sin).  Perhaps we find ourselves stuck in a cycle of sin or struggling to be free from a sinful habit, we need the medicine of repentance to get right with God again.  Then our lives can be transformed like Saul became Paul.  Wouldn’t that be something!

 

Lord, help us to repent and receive your forgiveness. In Jesus name, Amen

 

Dave MacLellan 
(first published in 2007)