God’s Hope for Your Heart from Acts 9
JESUS CHOOSES THE ANTI-QUALIFIED
But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” (Acts 9:13-15)
It’s often said that God chooses the unqualified. Saul, however, was anti-qualified to be a follower of Christ. His whole life was centered around his opposition to the Way of Jesus, and he was only increasing in his efforts to stamp out what he believed to be a group of heretics.
Then he met Jesus.
In that fateful encounter, Jesus completely overwhelmed Saul and overcame his disbelief. In that instant, Jesus not only changed what Saul was believing, but who he was becoming, and the world has never been the same.
Maybe your story seems like the opposite of what you’d expect from a “good Christian” and you don’t feel you could be used much by God. Maybe there’s a person in your life who is so set against following Jesus that you wonder if they could ever really change.
If that’s you, let go of your doubts and take heart from this example of the transforming power of God. As you do, you’ll find hope in this peace-producing truth: Jesus chooses the anti-qualified.
-Pastor Phillip
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