“In Between Normals”: A 30 Day Devotion on the Book of Acts预览

Your Time Is Coming, but...

In today's reading, we see Saul rise to a new level of leadership. It's a destiny moment. History will remember this as "Paul's first missionary journey." But how did Saul of Tarsus become Paul the Apostle?

Already But Not Yet

In Syrian Antioch, while a group of church leaders were praying and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (13:2)

But wait! Saul’s calling to the Gentiles was there over a decade ago when he first met Jesus near Damascus! Why did Paul wait for so long to go? The answer is, he didn’t.

The Journey of Calling

Listen! You are not called to a destination. You are called to a journey. The "destination mindset" frustrates us because we are "never there." The "journey mindset" frees us because we are maturing day by day. You know, God can't work through us unless He works in us first. This requires hard work and patience on our side. You can never microwave maturity. So, how does this process work?

Jesus said, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much." (Luke 16:10)

In Saul's case, he started with "very little," under the radar, faithfully and consistently, for over a decade!

The Next Assignment

Then, when the right time came, God moved Paul into his famous first missionary journey. It’s a pretty amazing story. You should read it for yourself. But here are two small things worth paying attention to.

First, there is a name change. "Then Saul, who was also called Paul ... " (13:9) Name change always signifies something important. The old person is gone. The new person is now in full operation leading to a new era.

Secondly, there is a name sequence change. From this point onward, it's no longer "Barnabas and Saul." The order has been flipped. It's now "Paul and Barnabas." Finally, Paul’s leadership is recognised. But look! This "overnight success” actually took more than ten years in the making!

My friend, do you feel that you are prevented from doing what you are supposed to do? Don't give up, God is still working in you. Be faithful.

Reflection:

What do you think God is calling you to do with your life? How is God preparing you right now?