Misspent Youth

"My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know.  They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee."

--Acts 26:4-5  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on March 25, 2013 of Psalm 62; Acts 25:23-26:11; Numbers 31.

Under arrest in Caesarea and falsely accused by the Jewish leaders, the Roman governor gives Paul the chance to present his case to King Agrippa, the great-grandson of Herod the Great.  Festus had his own reason for allowing this audience, which Agrippa had requested.  He had nothing for the guards to carry to Rome with Paul - no charges or allegations or commendations - nothing.  He hoped Agrippa could help provide some words adequate to describe the situation.  Paul, for his part, did not have to go through this or defend himself since he had appealed to Caesar as a Roman citizen, but he gladly took the opportunity to witness for Jesus Christ to the Jewish king and his sister-consort.  Paul begins by saying that all the religious leaders, even all the Jews, know him and know of his upbringing.  They know that he was raised in Jerusalem and studied at the feet of the great teacher Gamaliel.  They knew he was a Pharisee, a member of the strictest religious sect, who eagerly persecuted those that followed Jesus of Nazareth.  This is a story Paul told often, the story of his youth and his conversion.  He wanted everyone to understand that God could take someone even as violent and hate-filled as he and turn them and use them for the greatest good for all humanity.

I bet many of us have a history similar in nature to Paul's.  I know I do.  While not very religious in any sense, I was filled with hate and rage and quite often turned violent.  My tongue and quick, thoughtless words inflicted injury on the innocents, even those I loved dearly.  Like Paul before his conversion, I was a good soldier for Satan, serving well in his army of darkness.  And not just in my youth but well into my adulthood.  And then, when I'd probably fallen as low as I could go, in my darkest hour I finally noticed the light shining all around me.  A hand reached down and pulled me from that pit, from utter despair.  Love and hope flooded through me.  Christ saved me, on the cross and from the hole I dug myself into, and now I am His.  I may not be able to have anywhere near as great an impact on humanity as Paul, but I'm okay with that.  Any good I may do is to the glory of Jesus Christ and in His service.  Like Paul, I tell my story so that others may know that no situation is hopeless as long as we have Jesus in our life.  In Him all things can happen, even the conversion and salvation of reprobates like Paul and me.  Amen.

Dearest Lord Jesus, You reached out to a young man named Saul and gave Him a better purpose and eternal salvation.  And You reached out to me and filled me with hope and Your love until overflowing.  You saved me and now I can share what You have done for me, what You have given me, with others.  I can give from my overflowing and never have want for more.  Thank You, blessed Savior!  In Your name, my Jesus I pray.  Amen.