A Pause to Ponder God's Word
"He Takes It Personally"

It is always interesting to hear testimonies of people’s conversions. They are all unique for God is not in the cookie-cutter business. He deals with each of us in the way we need to be dealt with. Granted some conversions are more interesting than others, but all witness to the love, grace and transforming power of God. I have heard and witnessed many conversions and as unique and personal as each are, Saul of Tarsus’ conversion is clearly a one-of-a-kind conversion experience.

After overseeing the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, Saul made it his goal to seek out every person in The Way (Acts 7:58 -8:3). As he was on his way to Damascus to seek out, arrest and bring believers back to Jerusalem, he was struck to the ground by blinding light and the resurrected Lord Jesus spoke to him. (Acts 9:1-9)

His conversion experience was burned into his memory. Saul, who became the Apostle Paul but God’s grace, tells of this experience two times in Acts (22 & 26) as well as referring or alluding to it throughout his epistles. We can only conjecture as to whether one thing or another in this experience impacted him more than the other. The conversation he had with Jesus is fascinating and Paul is careful to include it in each retelling.

He fell to the ground and head a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul replied, “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, He replied.” Acts 9:4-5

Surely this caught Saul by surprise. Jesus didn’t ask why he was persecuting His Church. He didn’t ask Saul why he was persecuting those in The Way. He didn’t ask Saul why He was persecuting His people or His followers. He distinctly ask: Why are you persecuting me? And He emphasized by replying: I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

One wonders how pivotal the question and statement were in shaping Paul’s theology. Might Paul have had this in mind when he wrote the magnificent body metaphors in the Corinthian letters? Do you not know that you yourselves are members of Christ’s body? (1 Corinthians 6:15) Or the body/unity passages in Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians? Surely that fact that Jesus takes attacks upon His church, His disciples, His people personally left an indelible imprint.

How should the fact that Jesus takes personally how His disciples are treated impact us? Surely it, coupled with Jesus’ teaching in the gospels and the instruction throughout the New Testament on how we are to treat one another, causes us to be careful how we treat one another; how we speak to and about one another; how we consider one another… for however we treat them we are treating Jesus.

Beloved, let us live in such a way that Jesus will never have to ask us such a question.

Keep Close to Jesus
Pastor Gerry


A Pause To Ponder God's Word is written and distributed by Gerald Whetstone, Ordained Elder and teacher in the Church of the Nazarene. These devotionals may be transmitted, duplicated, used in part or in entirety without permission for nonprofit purposes only. Responses welcome. To Subscribe Click Here.
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