This week marks “the Conversion of St. Paul.”
Both are such giants in Scripture. Both can make it difficult to relate to or emulate in any meaningful way.
They glorified God because of me.
Galatians 1:24
When we look at St. Paul, he has an amazing story of conversion and transformation; of mercy and grace; of boldness and faith. So much so that we talk about someone’s “Damascus Road” or “”Damascus experience” to signify a person’s colossal life change or coming to faith experience.
But therein lies a problem: the vast majority of us do not have an experience or story life Paul. If we are told to expect that (or if we do) and don’t have a story like his, we can feel let down or that somehow our faith or importance in the Body of Christ is diminished somehow. We fall victim to the fiction that God’s plan for us – our story or witness – is less important or valuable and, consequently, we must be less important or valuable!
Listen and listen well: You are the exact person God has chosen for a part of His plan and loves you beyond measure! He has chosen you before the creation of the world to be His; to do His will and serve in spirit and truth. Your story – however “un-Damascus” it is – matters! It is valid and important!
So, then, what is your story?
Scripture tells us honor Christ as holy in our hearts, “always being prepared to make a defense [of our faith] to anyone who asks [us] for a reason for the hope that is in [us]” (1 Peter 3:15).
My story began before I was born, as when I was conceived, I was already a sinner – dead throughout and separated from God. But on Sunday, May 4, 1969, my parents brought me to the saving waters of Holy Baptism, where God washed me clean, gave me saving faith, and made me His precious child. There were many, many failures and missteps along the way, but every time I sinned or was unfaithful, God remained faithful to His Word and promise for me through Jesus! He has used me, with all my gift and shortcomings, to know and believe in Him as well as serve and share Him in word and deed.
That’s some of my story. It’s not altogether complicated or by any means spectacular. It won’t be the subject of a screenplay or podcast. But God has saved me and used me in some small way to share with other His saving message of Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and the Devil through His suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension.
And the same goes for you!
Think about God’s plan through your story today, and thank Him for it; for through your faith in Jesus it – you – are remarkable!
Scriptures
- Acts 9:1-22
- Galatians 1:11-24
- Psalm 67
