Galatians
1:13-14 For
you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God
violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many
of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of
my fathers.
The Apostle Paul was not always a believer in Christ.
Before Christ came to him, Paul was a Pharisee among the Jewish community. He
was adamant in his opposition to the Christian movement that threatened his
Jewish community. He was unimpressed by the teaching presented by the early
Christians. They would never break his commitment to the Law and his
Traditions. Only God would break into his life and bring the needed change.
As laborers for God we need
to make room for Him in our life. He needs room in our day, our mind, our
activities and our words. God wants to continue preparing us for the work of
service he has called us to. We get so busy making plans, fulfilling
appointments, tending to our needs and those of others. Yet all the while we
are not mindful of “scheduling” God into
our day.
Would any of us be surprised
if God came into our meeting or into our preaching in a way we had never looked
for Him to come? Do not look for God to come in any particular way, but look
for Him!
That is the way to make room
for Him. Expect Him to come, but do not expect Him only in a certain way.
However much we may know God, the great lesson to learn is that at any moment
He may break in. We are apt to overlook this element of surprise, but God never
works in any other way. His schedule is not our schedule. All of a sudden God
entered into Paul’s life.
Keep your life so
constant in its contact with God that His surprising power may break out on the
right hand and on the left. Always be in a state of expectancy, and see that
you leave room for God to come in as He likes.