Daily Devotional for Tuesday 20th February
Called to serve
Paul’s recounting of his conversion experience to the Galatians we explored yesterday pointed to his calling to serve God by proclaiming the gospel far and wide. The Damascus moment brought into view a purpose shaped long before in heaven. God wanted to stir Paul and to commission and send him. There was a world to reach and people far away to tell about Jesus.
So there were places to go. Paul, we read went to Arabia (v 17), perhaps the area we now call Jordan, for a while before he began preaching (v 23) and this caught the attention of other Christians, who gave praise for what they heard (v 24). They recognised that this massive change in the life of Paul, the arch-persecutor of Christians, could only have one explanation: God’s direct intervention.
Along the way on the journeys, there were stories to hear. Paul talked to Cephas (the name Peter in Aramaic) who had known Jesus longer than Paul had (v 18). Paul’s Christian commitment had brought him into a new family and he wanted to learn more of their story.
Time to reflect…
Have there been moments in your Christian journey, or aspects of the way you live, for which God is the only explanation?
Pause to pray…
Father, we thank you that you have called us to serve you. May we always seek to obey you as we share the good news to those around us. Amen
