Welcome to the second installment of the “it’s never who you think” series. I take great encouragement from the fact that historically God seems to use the most unlikely people to accomplish His good and eternal purposes here on earth. This means that you and I can experience the privilege of being called into our Heavenly Father’s service. No matter how unlikely a candidate you or I may be, nevertheless God invites us to live on mission with Him and carry out His work. However, it’s our choice whether we answer His call and accept our assignment or not.
Today’s surprise recipient of God’s invitation and subsequent unlikely hero is none other than the apostle Paul. This may surprise you, but Paul who was formerly called Saul, has quite the back story. His story makes him a very unlikely choice to be chosen as a hero for God. Maybe that’s why Paul’s invitation to serve God came in such a dramatic way. But I’m surprised Paul got the invitation at all, given what he was doing right before His encounter with God.
” . . . they all rushed at him, (Stephen) dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. . . . And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.” (Acts 7:58 & 8:1)
“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.” (Acts 8:1-2)
So Paul, who at the time was called Saul, was busy hunting down, rounding up and seeking to imprison as many of the early Christians as he could. He even gave approval to the stoning of those who were followers of Jesus. If Paul wanted Christians put to death, it seems most unlikely that he would become one himself. And yet, this is what happened next –
“As he (Saul) 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 9:3-6)
So Paul, now blind, was led into the city and God sent a man named Ananias to Paul to restore his sight.
“But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.’ ” (Acts 9:15-16)
Can you believe that? The person who was persecuting Christians was the same person God chose to “carry His name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.” I would not have seen that coming. Saul wouldn’t appear to me to be the obvious choice BUT – God had a plan and a purpose for Saul’s life. So, Ananias obeyed God’s instructions and went to Saul.
“Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. . . . 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 9:17-22)
Ok, so I’m not the only one who is surprised by this unexpected turn of events. This account says the people who heard Saul preaching were also surprised because they knew he was the same person who had come there to take as prisoners anyone who believed in Jesus. And now he was preaching that Jesus is the risen Son of God! Saul was certainly the least likely person to be preaching the gospel and yet that’s exactly what he was doing. Saul was doing exactly what he had put others in prison for doing, preaching that Jesus is God’s Son. Who would have thought it would be Saul? And yet that’s who God chose! Just goes to show me, it’s never who I think it will be.
Saul, with his name changed to Paul, did spend quite a bit of time in prison for preaching the gospel of Christ. The persecutor had become the persecuted. But persecution didn’t deter Paul from his assignment. Paul wrote this –
“But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:13)
Paul also wrote many letters to various churches while in prison, letters which became much of the New Testament. I’m sure no one who knew Paul when he went by Saul and was known for hunting down Christians in order to kill or to imprison them, would have predicted this outcome. But God always has a better plan. God had a better plan for Saul. And God has a better plan, a good plan, for me and for you, dear readers. In Jeremiah I read this –
” ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Now, I generally feel like I am the most unlikely choice for whatever opportunity or need might be at hand. Surely, I think, there must be no shortage of other individuals God could choose – individuals who are more qualified, smarter, braver, stronger, more talented – possessing more of whatever is needed than I possess. And yet, God calls me. He wants to use me. Have I not learned from His word that it’s never who I think? So why not me? Why not you? In Ephesians I read –
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 3:10)
My Creator has a plan and a purpose for me and He has one for you, too. It’s a plan which is already in place. You may feel overlooked and underestimated by others, seen as the least likely, BUT – God specializes in the impossible. We have His word on it.
“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ ” (Matthew 19:26)
You may not think it’s you whom God is calling (I’m always surprised and doubtful) – BUT – it’s never who you think. Sometimes it’s me. Sometimes it’s you. If Saul’s past didn’t disqualify him, our pasts won’t disqualify us either. Answer God’s call! Preferably today!
sincerely, Grace Day
