Living As God's Chosen Instruments

"Today's Devotion" For April 19, 2007

Read: Acts 9:1-22; Psalm 30

LIVING AS GOD'S CHOSEN INSTRUMENTS

"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)

I'm pretty certain that none of us remember our birth. I'm also quite certain that, if your mother is still alive, she does. Your father also may remember the circumstances of your birth, but your mother most certainly does; every excruciating moment of it. I suppose it could be reasonably said that every one of us has been dragged, kicking and scream into the world. Some of us may have been born more easily than others, but it's a sure bet that describing our entering into the world as being "dragged, kicking and screaming" into it is a pretty apt description.

Our spiritual births weren't much different. Certainly the kicking and screaming part probably didn't apply, although I've had a few such babies brought to Holy Baptism. Yet the kicking and screaming part of our new birth into Jesus Christ took place in our hearts and souls, as the power of Sin in us tried to put up a fight against God's Word and Spirit. Yet, by God's grace and mercy, He sent His Spirit to work through His Word and change our hearts so that we might be His own children, redeemed and restored to Him in Christ Jesus.

A fellow named Saul, who later described himself as "a Pharisee of Pharisees," had made it his business to seek out all those who claimed Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, who believed that He had risen from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father, to arrest them and bring them before the Sanhedrin where they could be tried and convicted. Many died because of their faith in Jesus, much as Stephen did (Acts 8:54-9:1). And Saul often had a hand in such actions. While engaged in a campaign to root out followers of Jesus ("The Way"), Saul headed to the synagogues in Damascus. Here was a man who knew the Scriptures as well as anyone in his day, and yet he refused to see them pointing to Jesus as the Christ, the promised Messiah and Savior from Sin. So, on the road to Damascus, Saul had his "dragged, kicking and screaming" experience. Jesus appeared to Him on the road. He was blinded and could not see and his men had to lead him into Damascus where he was left to heal.

God chose Saul, later to be known as Paul, to be His missionary to the Gentiles. He healed his blindness, poured out His Holy Spirit on him, and through Holy Baptism washed Him clean from his sins and clothed him in the righteousness of Christ. Saul/Paul became a chosen instrument of our Father in heaven to share the Good News of Jesus with the world.

We, too, are God's chosen instruments to share His message of love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness in Jesus Christ with the world. Sometimes He has to "drag us kicking and screaming" to forget about ourselves and our fears and trust His Word and Spirit to provide us with the strength and purpose to be witnesses for Jesus. Just as with Saul/Paul, we have God's Word and Spirit to strengthn our faith in Jesus and give us the words we need, when we need them, so we can share Christ's love with others so that they, too, might come to faith in Him and be clothed with His righteousness. Each of us, who have been baptized into Christ have become a new creation, God's chosen instruments to share Christ with the world.

Prayer: Father, You have truly blessed me with the privilege of being Your child, redeemed and restored to You in Christ Jesus. Yet, the truth is that so many times I let my own desires and Sin rule my heart and life and I run away from You and Your call to me to live in Your love, receive Your forgiveness, and be Your chosen instrument to share Jesus with others. Forgive me, gracious Father, and so fill me with Your Word and Spirit that I may gladly and willingly live in Christ's love and, living in that love, seek to tell others what You have done for me and for them in Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection. Strengthen my faith that I may be a willing instrument, chosen by You, of Your grace, mercy, and love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
********************************

--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2007 by Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.