The Party was Over

02.02.13

Acts 9.15 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. (ESV).

Saul of Tarsus wasn’t planning on talking to Jesus that day: he was planning to beat up on some more Christians if he found any in Damascus. Saul was a man with a plan and he was going to single handedly defend and protect Judaism from these pests, these followers of the Way! (Like Mama Pajama, he usually spat on the ground at the mention of the Way…)

Saul wasn’t searching for something better: he already had it: the Law and the Prophets, the way of Moses, the Temple and Pharisaism; to him, what more could a guy want? Paul was learned and more importantly, he was on the right team. It’s always better when you’re on the winning team don’tcha know? The only thing on Paul’s mind was wiping out the Way before it got any more in the way. Stupid Christians! Stupid Jesus! I’ll show them!

What Paul didn’t count on was a Divine Intervention. What Paul didn’t count on was God’s choosing him to carry His Name before the Gentiles (shriek!) and kings, and the children of Israel. Oh and by the way Paul, as you have curb-stomped God’s people, get ready to get curb-stomped yourself…you’re gonna get real acquainted with being stoned in the days ahead…

There is a belief out there that God will utterly respect our free will and as long as we freely resist Him, He’ll have to leave us alone. What utter hogwash! Yes, we have free will, but if we think for a minute that free will is some sort of Kryptonite, we’d better think again. Whom God calls, He calls. And how God calls, He calls. There is no immunity to love. There is a cure for just being plain stupid. And God loves stupid people.

God never leaves us alone – not Saul, not you, not me. We are presented with God’s call and invitation every moment of every day. That’s how much He thinks about us and what lengths He’ll go to, to get our attention. God stopped Paul in his tracks because God wasn’t going to let Saul waste any more of his pitiful little life fighting an un-winnable war; there was much more important stuff for Saul to accomplish…Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel…stuff like that.

Saul didn’t ask to be saved. He didn’t ask to be God’s chosen instrument. Saul wanted to ram Judaism down the throats of people, not help spread the truth of God’s wanting to be a Friend to all people. But before the pillars of the Universe were ever erected, God saw, and knew, and loved Saul and for whatever reason, chose him to be His man. God never consulted with Paul in the process…He just knocked him on his butt one day and made His will known: You’re the guy!

The party was over – and Saul’s life was changed forever.

Before we think we have God cornered because of free will, let’s attempt to remember Who we’re dealing with: God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should change His mind. Has He not said and shall He not do it? Has He not spoken and shall it not come to be? (Numbers 23.19) Divine intervention is for everyone…all the time. Whoever we are, wherever we are, whatever we do, we are not strangers to God and He is intervening in our lives continuously. The question is: will we respond? Be careful of bright lights!