Today is January 25thMay the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say,“Come Holy Spirit.”Today Christians remember and celebrate of the conversion of the Apostle Paul.Today’s reading is the story of the Apostle Paul’s Conversion from Acts 9. "Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He wentto the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he foundany there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisonersto Jerusalem.3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashedaround him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do youpersecute me?”5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and youwill be told what you must do.”7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not seeanyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. Sothey led him by the hand into Damascus.9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drinkanything."The Apostle Paul was also known by his Hebrew name, Saul, and before his life was interruptedby a vision of the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus, he antagonized the early church,persecuting followers of Jesus. Paul’s conversion was marked by both a miraculous new visionof the resurrected Jesus… as well as by a loss of his natural sight for three days. What do youthink Paul experienced during those three days of blindness, during which he neither ate nordrank? What do you think Paul learned about the character of God, through His vision of Christon the road to Damascus?As you hear the passage read again… Consider that the conversion of Paul reminds us that noone is too far off, or too antagonistic, to be interrupted by the love of God or by the call ofChrist. Is there someone in your life who feels ‘too far off’? Were you too far off, before youmet Jesus?Paul’s ConversionActs 9:1-9 "Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’sdisciples. He went to the high priest 2 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 takethem as prisoners to Jerusalem.3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light fromheaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul,why do you persecute me?”5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and youwill be told what you must do.”7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not seeanyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. Sothey led him by the hand into Damascus.9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drinkanything."“Who are you, Lord?” is one of the most important questions we can ask God. Scripture tells usthat we can know God by looking at Jesus. Reflect on ways that you have learned about thecharacter of God. Have you ever felt interrupted by the love of God? As we end, ask God toreveal himself to you in fresh ways, and pray for one person by name… who might feel ‘too faroff’… pray that Jesus would interrupt both you, and them, with the love and the calling of God.Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day:Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity;and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Music Credit:Faithful Father - Vineyard Music/Brian DoerksenFaithful Father [Live]

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