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1 Corinthians 15:9-11
Humility is a theme of the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:9-11 as he reflects on the grace of God displayed in his own life. He once persecuted the Church and was in agreement with the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7:57-60). Yet this is how God works in the lives of those He calls to service; not as we would expect, but God uses the most lowly and unlikely people to do the greatest work for Him in ministry. All of the disciples of Jesus were rejects by the rabbis of the day in that they were not chosen to be their pupils, but Jesus chose them to share the story of His life and ministry to all the world – He worked miracles through them and used them to be examples to all the world of the life that He has for us if we will believe in Him. Paul, or Saul as was his name before his conversion on the road to Damascus, may be the greatest example of all as his life was turned/repented one hundred and eighty degrees from persecuting the church to building it up.
This is the working of the grace of God through His Holy Spirit in the lives of those He calls.
God continues to work through His Holy Spirit today in our lives as He calls us to salvation in Christ Jesus. The work that He calls us to may not and most likely will not be the path that we may think we are most suited for, but God will give you the gifts and the abilities to accomplish whatever it is that He has for you. Our part is to grasp the gift and trust God to lead us through the calling to bring glory to Him through our lives. Paul became one of the greatest evangelists of all time; if God can do that with Saul/Paul, then he can most certainly do whatever He wants with our lives – in Christ! Trust Jesus and see where it is that He leads you.
Dear LORD,
We have been learning from Your word as You have used the Apostle Paul to teach us through Your Holy Spirit’s guidance in his life. You have changed his life from being one who was the most feared person by Christians during the time of the early Church to the one that You used to evangelize the Gentile population in leading those who were not even considered worthy of Your grace to salvation in Christ Jesus. Please help us to see the importance of being humble to Your calling on our lives so that You may use us to do great things as well – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.