New Life

In Acts 9:15-16 we read of Paul receiving his calling from Christ.

This calling was both dramatic and life altering and it was obvious from the outset that it would not be easy, but then, which calling is? Verse 16 says, "I will show him (Paul) how many things he must suffer for my name sake". Not exactly what  you want to hear, especially when receiving a direct word from the Lord. One would rather have hoped there would have been lofty words of how his ministry will span the nations, a ministry that would stand out and above the norm, something others would almost envy.

All of this actually did happen, but at a price. Paul the great apostle did "suffer many things" for Christ and lived what very few of us would want to live, but he also saw and experienced things in the Spirit that very few of us would ever see. Suffering is never part of the equation when receiving a calling in this day and age. Prophesies are at times a dime a dozen on how much we will do along with the money and fame that will be ours, yet very few, if ever, actually get to see that.

We are told the end, but not the process. It is this process that was relaid to Paul. The process of purity, persistence, the handling of power and the prevailing in the storm, none of which is easy, but necessary in order for Christ to have established in and through Paul a vessel that could accurately carry the revelations we would grow by as the church. There is no victory without the war, there is no great kingdom growth without the enemy at least trying to hinder that progress, all of which Paul faced. Paul did not "suffer"  in order to qualify. He suffered because of those truths as they changed people's lives and built the kingdom. It is also true that he was born for such a time back then, as we are for ours, but like him we are to remain faithful no matter what, to what Christ has given us to carry.

Run the race!