It would be difficult to find a greater transformation than Paul’s. He was Jesus’ arch enemy and became Jesus’ greatest advocate. Despite the extremes of who he was and what he became, it is doubtful that the change was personality. Paul was Paul before and after being knocked off his horse. He was always super zealous for his cause, whether to stamp out Christianity or to be the world’s greatest definer and defender of Christianity. He goes from organizing executions to himself being beheaded after various botched attempts to kill him. No other wrote so eloquently regarding Jesus’ heavenly position. Ephesians 1 and Colossians 1 are vivid portrayals of just who it was who died for us. Brilliantly he uses his pharisaical background to explain what Jesus is now doing for us in the heavenly sanctuary. Hebrews is a masterpiece extolling Jesus’ vulnerability to human weaknesses and the majestic perfection of Jesus as our high priest.
Paul was special. But so are you. Just as there was only one Paul there is in the entire universe only one you. Just as God had a special task for Paul that only he could do, so God has prepared for each of us a special task. If we don’t do it God will raise another to do it, but the problem for God is, no one can do it as well as you. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2. This very day might be the day your special task arises. Pray earnestly to be ready. You might never know until heaven what it was. But what joy you will have when you know you did it.
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 4, 2016
PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org