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This is a time of great turbulence in our world. Many people are opposing each other in various ways.
Many are crying out to God to fix things. Some are even more specific in their prayers, telling God exactly what they want Him to do to fix things.
Often they see the fix to be God changing the other people to line up with them.
However, there is an interesting story in The Bible that gives us a powerful example of what another type of prayer can do.
It has nothing to do with opposing people or asking God to make them like us. It has everything to do with God changing our hearts and through our softened hearts, allowing Him to do the same with others.
Stephen was outspoken for The Lord. He was not received well by some. A young zealot named Saul was among the opposition.
Stephen was stoned to death. Saul watched. Those stoning Stephen laid their coats at Saul’s feet.
Saul was vicious in his persecution of Christians. He believed he was doing God’s work.
We will never know how Saul felt that day watching Stephen’s death. But I am betting that was the day God began His Mighty work in Saul.
Saul saw a man willing to die for his faith.
Saul heard him report what he saw.
Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw The Glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
“Look,” he said, “I see Heaven open and The Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Acts 7:55-56
Did Saul look? Did he see a little of God’s Glory that day?
While he was trying to process that, he heard Stephen’s last words.
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
Acts 7:59-60
Saul might have remembered he heard of another man who said something similar as He was being crucified.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Luke 23:34
Perhaps Saul wondered if Jesus had returned and was somehow in this man’s body. He might have wondered if he and his allies could possibly be persecuting Jesus Himself.
We don’t know what Saul thought that day or in the short time that followed before he was on the road to Damascus. He may have had the door opened to Heaven, but he quickly slammed it shut and continued with his vendetta.
He was even looking to go into synagogues and drag out those to be killed.
Acts chapter 9 records,
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.
He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a Voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting,” He replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Acts 9: 1-6
And we know what happened. After spending time with The Lord, Saul began using his other name of Paul. He began a new life.
He had the same passion and talents God had given him from day 1. But he used them in a different way. Before his time on earth was done, Paul ministered to many and is the author of over half of the New Testament Bible.
Why would I share this on Valentine’s Day? Because what happened had to do with hearts.
Stephen had a heart for God that could not be stopped. The Love that flowed from his heart came from God’s Heart. That Love joined Heaven and earth.
That Love was the same Love that came from Jesus on the cross.
Both loved their enemies, forgave them and asked God to forgive them.
We only know a tiny fraction of how far that Love went. There are many untold stories. But we know what Love did for a man named Paul and how far that Love is still reaching today.
If you want to have a real heart to heart about what Paul learned about Love, read 1 Corinthians 13.
Then ask God to check your heart. Are you more like Saul or Stephen? And most importantly, are you more like Jesus?
Search me, God, and know my heart.
Psalm 139:23
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26
