2/14/24

Good morning!

Today is a reflection day.
The conversion of Saul of Tarsus (later, Paul) in Acts 9 is dramatic.  He is stricken blind, profoundly changed, emerging as a devoted follower of Jesus.  For three days he is blind, and eats and drinks nothing.  Then, Ananias lays hands on him, scales fall from his eyes, he rsies and is baptized.  He eats, is strengthened, and spends a few days with the disciples who were with him in Damascus.  What comes next is telling:

And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”  (Acts 9:20).

It is interesting that in the church today, we often think new converts need a lengthy season of teaching before they are ready for the task of telling people about Jesus.  Saul here gets right to it. It is the same thing with the woman at the well (John 4) and Levi (Matthew) the tax collector.  It is also my experience that brand new believers are often the most fired up.  For me today, it is good to reflect back and remember how excited and amazed I was when I first met Jesus.  And so I pray and I ask Him to rekindle that blazing fire.
in Him, Mike