When God Comes on the Scene

"For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persucute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judasim beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him..." Galatians 1:13-16a.

It's likely that many who receive these devotionals have come from a healthy background. Not everyone, however, has. Paul would fall into this category. His testimony is the perfect story of a completely God-transformed life.

We've all got testimonies, and despite the events that make them up, God has set us apart for His purpose. He called us through His grace that we might preach Him.

"I'm not called to preach," one might say. "I'm a girl," another might point out. "But I've got this or that going on...I can't just drop what I'm doing and preach to the world."

Who cares?

Inside every classroom, office, bank, station, camp, grocery store, whatever, our God has called us, His own, to preach Him. Does that mean you stand on a soap box and speak to all who have ears? Not unless God layed that on your heart. For most, it means that we live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ, boldly claim Christ and refuse to deny Him under any circumstance, and submit to the Holy Spirit's lead in witnessing. Possibly even more so, it means thirsting and hotly pursuing an intimate relationship with Christ. Our God wants a people who are so intimately unified with Him that He flows freely through them.

So you've got a testimony...you've been places. Maybe you've lived in sin and know what it's like to be away from God. Use it for His glory. A past of sin shouldn't decay the present but should serve as a reminder of the matchless love of Jesus Christ. Those scars just prove that when God comes on the scene, surgery happens on the hearts of people (Kopicko).