Stephen and Saul

Sometimes the sacrifice we make for our faith is huge.

When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"  But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.  While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."  Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died. And Saul approved of their killing him. Acts 7:54-8:1

Today's reading from Acts highlights the stoning of Stephen at Saul's feet.

As Stephen was dying, he followed Jesus' example and prayed that his murderers would be forgiven. 

It is at this point, I believe, that the baton is handed from Stephen to Saul, who would still need his own conversion experience to become Paul, but the process was set in motion.

It shows us that God begins working on us while we are deep in our own sinfulness.  He never gives up on us, even though we may be far afield of Him.

Saul did not deserve to become the Apostle Paul.  He deserved a like fate to Stephen, but God had other plans, and Jesus did as Stephen said.  In forgiving him, he set him on his own mission.

What that tells us is that we can never be too broken to be mended by God.  He has a plan for each of us, and all we need to do is be open to receiving it.

At some point in our lives, we will realize that He is there trying to get our attention, and all we ever needed to do was listen.

Stephen didn't have to die so that Saul would be converted.  But Saul had to die to himself to become Paul.

More to come...