On January 25th All Saints Episcopal Church celebrated the Conversion of Saint Paul at our Wednesday services. I was given the opportunity to preach a homily, and it was quite difficult. There are so many implications in that experience, and so many different directions one could go. The ability to be articulate AND succinct is a real skill, one I aspire to have someday. The transformation of Saul, the zealous Pharisee that actively persecuted the early Church (Galatians 1:13-14), to Paul, one of the faith’s greatest Evangelists, is a bold testimony to the power of God’s redemptive love.
Trying to decipher God’s call in our lives can be difficult. The desire to focus on that call brought me 1,200 miles from home to participate in a discernment internship. Undoubtedly, many people have prayed for a “Paul on his way to Damascus” moment. However, at least in my experience, those direct callings are rare.
Paul did receive a revelation, but it did not make his life any “easier.” Read II Corinthians 11:23-29 for a laundry list of the dangers and sufferings he faced during his ministry. The Gospel may not make our lives more leisurely, or lead us to extravagant wealth, but it will bless us in deeper, more meaningful ways. The more we trust in God, the closer we get to being the people we were created to be. Instead of filling the void in our lives with things that perish or rust, we can fill them with Christ’s everlasting love. That is the promise Jesus gives in John 10:10.
“…I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
To live out ones faith is a daunting task. It’s not a matter of “if” but “when” something inexplicable will happen that threatens our faith. Therefore, as indicated in I Timothy 4:7-8, we need to discipline ourselves like an athlete, so that we are prepared to endure through the challenging times. Through the help of a strong community and faith in God, we just may find out that the “abundant” life is not what we expected.
No comments:
Post a Comment