You are special too
Galatians 1:11-24 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.(ESV)
You can’t unpack Paul’s story in a OneMinuteMinistry. There is something grand to see and understand in this passage; Paul understood that he was chosen by God, even chosen before birth (vs15). So much of Paul’s early life was a life a faith by works, earning his salvation by his intellect and his deeds; he felt he was earning his way into heaven. He led even unto persecution those that did not believe what he did. His world changed when Christ came to him on the Damascus road. Christ told him of how he would be called to preach to those he had been persecuting, of how he must suffer for His name. Acts 9:16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” Paul understood that all of his life before Christ, all that he had experienced and performed, could now be drawn to glorify Christ. God had let him walk down that road of life to ultimately show the grace of God, and the glory of God in Paul’s life.
God can and will forgive all of your great sins you have ever committed. You can never repay or work out a penance plan for the repayment of sin. On God’s grace alone are you provided through Christ the payment of sin; it was all settled at the cross. Paul understood the err of his ways, he understood that God had chosen him, not that he had chosen God. With that tug in your heart that comes an incredible understanding that God wants you. Can you really deny that One who is asking for your heart? All it takes is a humble repentant plea asking for forgiveness by the only Way to obtain it. John 14:6 I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but through Me.
Today is not meant for deep theological debate on Election. It is meant in the simplicity of the understanding that you have never sinned so greatly, as not to obtain grace. It is meant in the simplicity of how a humble, repentant heart is all it takes to receive that grace found in Christ. That question, that tug in your heart, is God pursuing you. You are a chosen one. You are able to obtain forgiveness; all of your past life can be used to show God’s grace too. He is knocking at the door of your heart, will you open the door?
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