Recently, my sister was preaching, and she encouraged us not to get up as God sets up our transformation. It might seem a bit strange initially, but what we were being reminded of was that we must wait on the Lord. God’s timing and processes are not our own, so we look forward to what happens when God is making the plans. She further proposed that we prayerfully and patiently wait on God while God sets up the plan.
This is applicable to Saul-Paul’s encounter with God. It may have been days, weeks, or months after Stephen’s prayer, but time elapsed after Stephen’s murder and Saul was on the rampage. He was neither converted nor convicted. In fact, things were worse. Little did anyone realise that it was God’s setup. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Acts 9:1-2 AMP
[1] Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord [and relentless in his search for believers], went to the high priest,
[2] and he asked for letters [of authority] from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any men or women there belonging to the Way [believers, followers of Jesus the Messiah], men and women alike, he could arrest them and bring them bound [with chains] to Jerusalem.
Set Up for Transformation
Acts 23 tells us clearly that Saul was both a Jewish and Roman citizen. He was no ordinary Jew. He was a well-schooled Pharisee who was versed in the Law of Moses. He believed in religious purity. As a Roman citizen, he had no compunction about securing for himself relevant papers permitting persecution privileges against people of the Way. We don’t hear that Saul earned from this, but it was feasible. Whether paid or not, Saul was totally committed to his task of eliminating believers in Christ throughout Rome.
Self-Check
Are we volunteer believers or paid? How souled out are we to the cause of Christ?
Application
While all this unfolded, we may have forgotten about Stephen’s prayer. It was simple, ‘Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they do’. It was the exact replica of Y’shua Jesus’ prayer. What we hear is an act of forgiveness. But it was more than that. It was a call to repentance. The first is expected – as an act of faith. The second is where God’s setup was hidden in plain sight. Stephen’s forgiveness released the grace for Saul’s redemption, just as Christ’s does for us. But it didn’t happen overnight.
It’s true, not all Stephen’s detractors came to a saving knowledge of Christ. Nor have all of us chosen Christ despite His sacrificial grace and forgiveness. But they are ours for the receiving. Sometimes, the ones for whom we pray God’s transformation seem to get worse. It may be that we need to remain steadfast in prayer, for their redemption remains in God’s setup.
Point to Ponder
When the going gets tough, us saints must get a-praying. We pray forgiveness for our detractors, leaving the rest for Christ to fulfil. Let’s not let up with our prayers while God sets up the transformation plan.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
