Unstoppable! 'Paul Directed to Damascus' — Acts 22:10

Friday, October 20, 2023

[To his Jewish critics in Jerusalem, Paul recounted his meeting Jesus and changing his life:] "I asked, 'What should I do, Lord?'

"And the Lord told me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do.'"

— Acts 22:10 NLT

Key Thought

Jesus uses flawed, fallible, fearful, and broken people to do his work in the world. Paul was one of those people God used in a mighty way. Paul even called himself the worst of sinners.* Jesus used another fallible, flawed, fearful, and broken person to lead Saul (Paul's primary name at the time he was describing!) to the truth. Jesus didn't tell Saul directly what to do. Instead, the Lord directed Saul to go to the city where he was planning on persecuting Christians, and he would be told what to do by someone there. In other words, one of Saul's likely targets was quite possibly the person who would teach him the truth about Jesus. Jesus uses flawed, fallible, fearful, and broken people to help redeem other people who are flawed, fallible, fearful, and broken. That means he longs to use you! Let's commit to being open and not reluctant when Jesus presents us with opportunities to lead others to him!

* See the first reference in the Related Scripture Readings.

Today's Prayer

Almighty God, you are my tender Abba Father. As awesome and powerful as you are as God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — I am humbled and awed that you have chosen to use ordinary people like me to do your work in the world. Thank you for sending Saul to Damascus to talk to a person to learn what he needed to do to follow you. I am encouraged and emboldened to look for opportunities to be a witness to others about your grace. Please open my eyes to see the opportunities you give me — someone saved by grace and made holy by the Spirit though I am a flawed, fallible, fearful, and broken person. Thank you! Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • 1 Timothy 1:15-17; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
  • Colossians 1:15-23; Titus 3:1-7

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Illustration

Illustration of Acts 22:10 NLT — [To his Jewish critics in Jerusalem, Paul recounted his meeting Jesus and changing his life:] "I asked, 'What should I do, Lord?' "And the Lord told me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do.'"

About This Devotional

Unstoppable! is a one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage, a reflection and a prayer. The reflection opens up the day's scripture and shows how it challenges one to live for Jesus.

Unstoppable! is written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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