9 “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

12 While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’”

(Acts 26:9-18)

In chapter twenty-six of the book of Acts, we see Paul on trial standing before King Agrippa. Paul had a dark past, in which he committed actions that directly persecuted Jesus and his followers. He followed the orders of the chief priests and imprisoned many followers of Christ. Most of them were even killed. He admits that he was so deep in anger that he chased these believers down to foreign cities. To Paul, it wasn’t just a job anymore, but a personal objective. Here, Paul confesses everything he had done against Christ and the believers.

Whenever we focus on our emotions, not feel, but focus, we are often picking these things over God. Emotions are temporary and change every day, but God is forever. Paul here focused on his orders and his anger to the point that he made it personal. He became obsessed with his orders and focused only on hunting down those who sought Christ. The same thing can be said of our focus. But what are the things we should focus on? Well, Philippians 4:8 states, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” These are the things that God calls us to focus on, because when we focus on the worry, the doubt, the past, or any other bad report, we hold ourselves back. So, are you focusing on the past, worry, or fear? Or are you focused on the things of God? Once you know your focus, you can redirect yourself.

Moving on to verses 12-18 of Acts chapter 26, we see that God revealed himself to Paul, and then revealed the truth of who Jesus is. It is important to show that in verse twelve of the NRSV Bible, Paul starts with, “With this in mind…” before continuing. Paul knew what he had done against God and without a doubt, God knew what Paul had done. Despite Paul’s actions, despite the past, despite the sin, God still gave him purpose and deliverance. Did Paul deserve it? The answer is that God did it simply because he loves him, and us, too. God isn’t focused on your past; he’s focused on where you are heading. God doesn’t choose the worthy; he creates the worthy.

Direct your attention to this. Think of the sacrifice that Paul had to make to redirect himself. When Paul realized who Jesus was, think about the people who would come against him if he became a believer. Think of everything he would lose and the enemies he would make. Paul had to sacrifice what he had. He had to go by faith. So why did he commit to the sacrifice? Jeremiah chapter 29, verses 10-11 tell us why, because God’s plans for him were far greater than anything he could think up, but those plans would happen on God’s time. We could just end at verse 11, but the God we serve is not the God of confusion, but the God of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). So, he goes further in verses 12-14 and says that not only does he have a plan to prosper us, but he makes himself available to us through prayer, and that we will find him when we seek his presence. That is the God we serve- the God that makes himself accessible to us in time of need and praise. The God that not only promises a plan but also promises to be with us as that plan folds out.

One last thought: think of the situation Paul was in. He was standing trial for crimes that weren’t even listed yet and he was before a king that had much more authority over him and was influenced by the prophets. Needless to say, Paul was in a situation that could end horribly. Yet, Paul stayed true to his mission and gave his testimony. He saw the overwhelming situation and kept his focus on what God did for him. Another situation of Paul’s that I’m reminded of is in Acts chapters 21 and 22, when Paul testifies to a crowd so violent that the soldiers that arrest him have to carry him up the stairs to protect him. Our situation doesn’t change who we are in Christ, and it doesn’t change what God has done for us.

So, direct your focus to the things God has done for you. Give praise to the things that are praiseworthy and focus on them. Remember that your situation doesn’t change who you are to God, and remember that God chose you simply because you chose him.

Amen.

Drake Lewis: Despite All This

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