By: Olivia MeadeHave you ever found yourself in a place you never imagined you’d be? Whether good or bad, all of us will experience displacement at some point. Maybe you ended up in a career you didn’t plan for, or your family looks different than you thought it would. No matter the situation, one thing remains true—God is in control and has been all along.
Saul of Tarsus didn’t have “convert to Christianity and spend the rest of my life suffering on behalf of God’s people” on his 5-year plan. In fact, he dedicated his life to the exact opposite. He was a religious leader who terrorized Christians. He stood in direct opposition to the gospel. But what God had planned for him was far greater than anything he’d ever dreamed. In Acts, we read of the conversion of Saul:
“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” Acts 9:3–6.
Not only was Saul confronted by Jesus, but he was also rescued and redeemed by Jesus. He was quite literally stopped in his tracks. On the road to Damascus, Saul became Paul, and life as he knew it changed forever. This is the mysterious work of the gospel—that a man who once sought harm for Christians would later endure harm because he was a Christian. Sinners become saints by the grace of God alone.
When our plans change, we can rest assured, knowing God isn’t surprised. Paul’s conversion wasn’t a change of plans at all. It was always part of God’s sovereign plan. In Acts 9:15–16, God refers to Paul as a “chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” He was chosen by God for a purpose. His life was set apart for holy use by God, and we bear witness to that when we read his 13 epistles in the New Testament.
Most of us don’t have a story like Paul’s. But that doesn’t mean our lives are any less important. Paul was chosen by God, and so are we. As Christians, we proclaim the name of Christ with our words and our deeds because he has set us apart for his glory.
Long before Paul was born, his Israelite ancestors spent 40 years wandering through the wilderness on their journey toward a land God promised to them. This land was flowing with milk and honey, which meant it was full of provision and abundance. When the Israelites finally made their way into this land called Canaan, they faced opposition. The land already had inhabitants and they were not going to hand it over.
Israel’s leader at the time, Joshua, sent two men to an important town in Canaan called Jericho. Many of you know the story of what happens to this city, but there’s an important thing that happens before the walls fall. The two men tasked with spying on the town were almost caught, had it not been for a woman named Rahab.
Rahab is described in the Bible as a prostitute. Her lifestyle was not conducive to what many consider a God-fearing woman. She would not have been respected or accepted in her town. Her profession was not admirable or honoring. But when she met the two Israelite men, she hid them from the king of Jericho and lied to protect them. She didn’t even know them! Yet she risked her and her family’s lives to ensure their safety. What could possibly motivate her to do this for strangers? We find her answer in Joshua 2:
“I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” Joshua 2:9–13.
Some might say Rahab helped the men because she selfishly wanted to save herself and her family from the coming destruction. But the fact that she believed there would be destruction at all proves that notion wrong. Rahab believed the God of Israel was who he said he was—she had been waiting for his mighty power to be displayed. Her life in Jericho was less-than-glorifying to God, but now? She was changed. She confessed in both word and deed that God is “in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.” Rahab risked her life to save those men because they were more than strangers—they were brothers. She was chosen by God and invited into his family. She was granted a faith that saved her.
There’s a lot we can learn from both Paul and Rahab. Their lives were drastically different before they knew God’s grace, as were ours. Plans change, but God never does. His commissioning of us remains the same, as well. We’re to go forth and share the good news of Jesus with those around us.
No matter our past failures and disqualifications, we’ve been ordained for good and holy work. There is no qualifier for grace. It’s free, and it abounds far above our failure. May the beauty of that truth spur you on to share it with those who need to hear it.