Peace and growth
Day 498, Monday, Dec. 22
Acts 9:19-31
When Saul/Paul preaches in Damascus people were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on [Jesus’s] name?”
He was and he wasn’t. In outward appearance and in many ways he was the same. He still had the same personal history, the same education and the same passion for serving God.
But in life-changing ways he was a different man entirely. His sin and guilt had been washed away. The fear and hatred that had led him to persecute believers were gone. He was free to love and serve as God intended. No one remains the same after encountering Jesus.
Not everyone welcomes his conversion. Presumably some who heard his message accepted it, but a segment of the Jewish community there did not and set out to kill him, leading Saul to go to Jerusalem.
Upon arriving at Jerusalem, he tries to join the disciples who are already there. After overcoming their fear, he is able to join with them.
It is when Paul tries to preach to the Hellenistic Jews (those who were more assimilated into the Greek and Roman culture) that he encounters resitance and threats.
Generally, though, this is an uncommon time of peace for the early church, and it grows and spreads.
-Rev. Mark Fleming
Monday meditation
Psalms 47:1-9
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.
For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth. He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.
God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.
Prayer focus
God, let us never forget that we are a new creation and no longer the person we used to be.