I am fascinated with Paul and his faith.
Who wouldn’t be? His dramatic call has fascinated believers and unbelievers for centuries.
All of my life I have heard people say, “I did not have a call like the Apostle Paul.” In one way I agree with those statements. I certainly did not have that kind of call. After all, who would want that kind of call? To be called as Paul was, you have to have hated Christ, hated the church, and enjoy persecuting innocent people. You have to have such venom in your spirit that you make a trip to Damascus, Syria, for the express purpose of going into the Synagogue and pulling anyone out that professes faith in Christ.
Additionally, you have to have been pleased to see the righteous man Stephen cruelly stoned to death even while heaven is opened to him.
No, I do not have that kind of call. I thank God for it.
In another way, maybe your call is similar to Paul’s.
Paul struggled with his faith. Maybe you have as well. One of the interesting things about Paul’s call in Acts 9 is his three days without sight in which he neither ate nor drank.
I would love to know everything that happened in that three day window. We know that Paul prayed (Acts 9:9) and that Jesus appeared to him in a vision (Acts 9:12). How did Paul pray? What did he talk to God about? Could it be that Paul’s faith journey was not as cut and dried as we often think?
We want quick fixes for everything. Paul’s faith came by prayer and fasting. He spent intense time with God, seeking God’s will and God’s direction.
Our faith would be greater if we struggled more. In my life, the times of great spiritual intensity have produced great growth.
Why not set aside time with God to pray and seek His presence and power in your life? Why not ask God to make Himself known to you?
Why not promise God that you will follow His Word and do His will?
When we do these things, we might find that God wants to do dramatic works in our life as well as in the life of Paul.
You can find an additional look at Paul’s call here. http://waylonbailey.com/2011/11/grace-really-is-amazing/.
If you would like to receive additional devotionals during the week, you can subscribe to waylonbailey.com below. Simply type in your email address and click subscribe. It’s free and easy. When you receive a return email, confirm your desire to subscribe by clicking on the link.
Waylonbailey.com is my ministry across the Internet. I would appreciate your subscribing and also forwarding this and other posts to your friends. Thanks for your help and support.