Two thoughts from my morning reading of the Book of Acts.
This morning, I was reading Acts and was struck by Paul’s account of his conversion in Acts 26:14 and his description of what the Lord said to him. From there, I went to the other two accounts where Paul shares his testimony in Acts 9:4 and 22:7. Here are all of the passages:
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And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
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and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
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and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’
What stood out to me is the Lord’s actual words. “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” He doesn’t say:
- “Why are you persecuting the Christians?” or
- “Why are you persecuting your fellow Jews?” or
- “Why are you persecuting people who have a different perspective than you? or even
- “Why are you persecuting my people?”
- Instead, He asks, “Why are you persecuting Me?”
Christ so identifies with us that he considers persecution of his people as persecution of Himself.
Stunning!
That is worth meditating upon.
For believers: that is wonderfully comforting.
For unbelievers: that is a fearful thing.
Does this resonate with you?
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