Mercy for this Reason...

The stories of God’s patience with sinners is a story that we want to tell.

I think of the apostle Paul. God set a day and time, when on the road to Damascus, He would reveal himself to Paul. On that Damascus Road, Paul would be forever changed. His life of destruction, hate, and self righteousness would end, and a new life would begin!

This means that between Paul’s birth and his call on the Damascus Road, God had set his affection on him and would save him. Here is Paul, beating, cursing, imprisoning and murdering Christians all prior to that divine appointment.

If you and I were to look at Paul, during those years, there, would be no evidence that he was a man God could use, or would even love. And yet Paul became one of the greatest missionaries!

Before our own Damascus Road, there is much in us that gives no evidence of God at work in us. And yet He is!

I marvel at the way we have witnessed, through the men and women who come through our doors, many are like Paul: God-haters and yet loved by God.

As Paul was persecuting and murdering many Christians, I am certain the very Christians Paul was persecuting remained faithful in proclaiming the good news of Jesus.

What are the implications of that for this work that we do together? What does God ask of us? I believe it is that we would be faithful to show in both word, and deed, the love of Christ.

My prayer is that if we are but a stop on the road to Damascus for our men and women, may we be faithful to continually share the good news, and be patient and loving, just as our God was towards us.