Beautiful Word Devotional #119

Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

1 Timothy 1:13

Before he met Jesus in a dramatic way on his way to Damascus, Paul (then Saul) had made it his mission to stop the early Christian church. He stood by watching and was pleased as the Christ-follower Stephen breathed his last and then “began to destroy the church” (Acts 8:3). “Breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples,” Paul dragged people to prison (Acts 9:1)—until he met Jesus.

And Jesus changed Paul completely, transforming him from persecutor to humble follower. At that initial meeting, Paul melted under the mercy of Jesus, and he gave his life in service to the One he had disdained.

Think about life before you knew Jesus. You were living in your own strength, in ignorance of God’s freeing truth, and enslaved to sin. Yet in the midst of such rebellion, God showed you mercy. And he continues to transform you just as he transformed Paul.

Lord, may I be clay in your hands as you make me more like your Son, my Savior, amen.