Friday thoughts...

Well - first few days back at work. Glad to be back and glad to be learning, reading and thinking about other things again. I have been in Acts the last day or so and while reading chapter 9 this morning, I want to share something this morning that is new to me. Now I have read this chapter before and I am sure you have been there as well - but funny how we learn something new even if we have read something many times before. The Gospel works that way ...

Acts 9:
The Blinding of Saul
1-2 All this time Saul was breathing down the necks of the Master's disciples, out for the kill. He went to the Chief Priest and got arrest warrants to take to the meeting places in Damascus so that if he found anyone there belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he could arrest them and bring them to Jerusalem.
3-4He set off. When he got to the outskirts of Damascus, he was suddenly dazed by a blinding flash of light. As he fell to the ground, he heard a voice: "Saul, Saul, why are you out to get me?"
5-6He said, "Who are you, Master?"
"I am Jesus, the One you're hunting down. I want you to get up and enter the city. In the city you'll be told what to do next."
7-9His companions stood there dumbstruck—they could hear the sound, but couldn't see anyone—while Saul, picking himself up off the ground, found himself stone-blind. They had to take him by the hand and lead him into Damascus. He continued blind for three days. He ate nothing, drank nothing.
10There was a disciple in Damascus by the name of Ananias. The Master spoke to him in a vision: "Ananias."
"Yes, Master?" he answered.
11-12"Get up and go over to Straight Avenue. Ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus. His name is Saul. He's there praying. He has just had a dream in which he saw a man named Ananias enter the house and lay hands on him so he could see again."
13-14Ananias protested, "Master, you can't be serious. Everybody's talking about this man and the terrible things he's been doing, his reign of terror against your people in Jerusalem! And now he's shown up here with papers from the Chief Priest that give him license to do the same to us."
15-16But the Master said, "Don't argue. Go! I have picked him as my personal representative to non-Jews and kings and Jews. And now I'm about to show him what he's in for—the hard suffering that goes with this job."
17-19So Ananias went and found the house, placed his hands on blind Saul, and said, "Brother Saul, the Master sent me, the same Jesus you saw on your way here. He sent me so you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." No sooner were the words out of his mouth than something like scales fell from Saul's eyes—he could see again! He got to his feet, was baptized, and sat down with them to a hearty meal.

Why do I find this passage so amazing? If you know anything about Saul - he is really the Apostle Paul - before this passage took place - Paul (Saul) was a murderer, killing Christians just for the fun of it, putting them in jail and getting special privileges to go to other places looking for them so that he could bring them back and have them placed in jail or killed. God forgave him and used him - Paul is one of the greatest men that God used to spread the Gospel. Think about all the things you have done in your life. I am sure you were not as bad as Paul - you probably have not killed anyone or made it your life mission to put people in jail because of what they believe in. No matter what you have done, no matter what others have done to you, no matter where you have been - God has a purpose for your life and you are not too far away that God cannot save you. Your heart is not hard enough for God to penetrate it. If God can use Paul - He can surely use you. If God can save Paul - God can surely save you.

I think about my father n law, Walt, this morning. All his life he walked away from anything that was religious. He made it very clear he was not interested. But the last months, I sat with him many evenings talking about "Stuff" - some of which those conversation did not end on a good note. But he would always bring them back up a few days later - ask questions and really test me in my answers and my beliefs. It took many folks around him to show him the practical love of Jesus and what we are supposed to do for each other when times are hard. It took the prayers of a child - a simple message and a simple prayer to bring Walt to Christ - along with everyone aroung him showing him the practical love of Jesus.
God can do the same for you~
I am looking forward to this weekend. A little down time, the Harrisburg Daddy/Daughter dance tomorrow evening - serving on Sunday and church Sunday and getting back with Rock Group Sunday night. There are many things to be excited about in life - Life is for the living - are you really living right now? Are you just floating by in life with no purpose, held down by guilt, worry and other things? Are you stuck in the material things of this life - the very things that won't matter 10 years from now?

Christ can show you how.........

Love you all,
Lonnie~