On the Journey Devotional
Read Acts 9:1-19
This story draws attention to God’s radical transformation and grace. It reminds us that no one is too far from God, no one is too broken to be redeemed, and our identity is determined by God and His plans supersede our rebellion. This story speaks of unrelenting love.
God chased Saul down. He intercepted Saul’s murder crusade of Christians and He cut Saul off from self-reliance in order to re-bind Saul to Himself. Then, not with punishment nor shame did Jesus show Saul the Truth, but He did with love and a new identity. God sent a disciple, Ananias, as confirmation that this encounter was from the God of the universe – who identified Himself as Jesus, the one Saul was persecuting – and to show Saul who he was made to be. God spoke to Ananias about Saul, saying “This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel” (v15). God uses present tense about who Saul is – His chosen instrument – not future tense. Although three days prior to this encounter Saul was gathering Christians and torturing and killing them, his identity as designed by God was to be an instrument for the gospel. That is who God always saw him as. What grace! What love.
If you feel too far gone, or if you feel like you’ve sinned too much or ‘too big’, let this story bring hope back into yours. Nobody earns their reunification with Christ by their good works. Like it says in John 6:44(a), “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.”
God wants to lead you where you feel blind and unfamiliar to rediscover the identity that He designed for you from before your conception. Today, invite God to take over your heart and show you who He made you to be. Accept the forgiveness and redemption that Jesus is offering to you, and allow His works to free you – you don’t need to try and earn or prove it.
Davis Cousineau
Community Office Support Worker
