Road Trippin’ with Paul: Totally Devoted
Paul provokes a powerful reaction. When he rolled into town stones flew, whips cracked, riots erupted.
But he was also dearly loved. When he said his final goodbye to some church leaders he’d spent time with in Ephesus:
“They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.” Acts 20:37-38
Twenty centuries later he evokes the same strong reactions. We may be perplexed by his complex arguments and impossibly wordy sentences in scripture. Or frustrated by his unwillingness to be more diplomatic, insisting instead on the blunt, non-sugarcoated version. Some love him, some don’t, others aren’t sure what to make of him.
Whatever you think about Paul, you can’t help but be utterly amazed and impressed by one undeniable fact: he was 100% devoted to God. Like a dog going after a bone, Paul is locked in on being faithful to God. This is the thread that weaves, without breaking, throughout his life, his travels, and his ministry. He’s got GRIT and GRACE.
This unwavering devotion to God started in his devout Jewish family. Paul was the product of two very different worlds. On the one hand he was born into a family deeply faithful to Israelite belief. The son of a Pharisee, and a student of the Law himself, he heard the Old Testament faith stories repeatedly, could recite Israel’s history completely, prayed the prayers religiously. His parents surely followed these words from Deuteronomy 6:6-8:
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road. When you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.”
Paul is devoted to God as a faithful Jew.
But he grew up in Tarsus, a Roman city. As a Roman citizen, when Paul wasn’t in his house or the synagogue, he was mixing it up in Roman culture, surrounded by the worship of Roman gods, Roman literature, Roman architecture and politics. Roman culture infiltrated every facet of life.
It’s these two influences, combined with his brilliant mind and stellar education, that perfectly molded Paul into God’s messenger of Good news to the Gentiles.
Let’s get personal:
Would the people who know you best say you are 100% devoted to the Lord? How unwavering are you in your dedication to pursue a relationship with God? How faithful?
The scripture above describes Hebrew families teaching their kids about God not just at synagogue, but throughout the day in everyday situations. Are there any opportunities in your everyday life to influence a child or young adult to see God at work and to know God as more real and personal? How might you see and seize moments – like the dinner table, car rides, phone calls, story time, nap time, bed time, over dinner – to talk about your love for God so that kids in your world would grow with a worldview with God at the center?
Whatever our background, family, education or experiences, they perfectly prepare us for the work God has for us to do. What part of your background or life story do you need to more fully surrender to God, so that he can use it for his mission?