Saul was a high profile Pharisee who was well known for his persecution of the church. He was the one who caused the church to disperse. As we have seen, God used that circumstance to actually spread the Gospel. The reason why Saul was on his way to Damascus in Syria was because the Christians had spread way up there already and were making an impact. Imagine the response of the Christians when they began to hear the rumours that Saul had become a Christian. For all the strength of their faith, the Christians, even the apostles, struggled to believe it was true. Even more baffled by this were the rest of the Jews who immediately struck out at Saul. It was a remarkable event and only possible because the Gospel was and is more than a new idea. It is, as Paul (previously Saul) later said: “The power of God that brings salvation” (Romans 1:16). There are no ‘impossible people’ in the world. No one is out of Jesus’ reach. As Ezekiel saw, even dry bones can come to life (Ezekiel 37). Don’t ever assume that a person is impervious to God. History is full of examples of ‘impossible people’ like Saul coming to faith. Don’t stop praying and sharing your faith. Love “always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:7). The walls of Jericho were impenetrable but God brought them down (Joshua 6:20). If God will harden a heart (i.e. Exodus 4:21) then how much more will he be willing to soften a heart? The power of persistent prayer is greater than the power of a resistant heart.
Pray again for those who are still resistant to God’s love.
Read Acts 9:20-31
