I Tim. 1; Acts 9; II Cor. 5

(1 Tim 1:16) Paul says he lived and was confronted and converted in the way he was for a reason. God allowed Paul to be stubborn and hard-hearted and merciless, and then, bang, slapped him down, blinded him to the world, got his total attention, converted him, and set him on a completely different path.

In this way, Jesus demonstrated his “mercy” and “displayed his patience” to all of us who would “later believe in him for eternal life”.

So, this was good for Paul as the first fruits of Christ’s patience and redemption, but it has a more personal application to me. I see in my life the foolishness and selfishness of sin. I see a past of years of hard-heartedness to those I should have loved, and I see outright rebellion to God.

I persecuted you, Lord Jesus. My life of unbelief and rebellion was a persecution to you. Your call and choosing of me; your transformation of me is a demonstration of your patience and power.

In steadfast love and sovereign grace you never let me go, and in your time, you worked your work in me.