Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

"But even before that fateful day when young Saul the Pharisee gloated over the brutal death of the innocent disciple Stephen, the Spirit of Jesus Christ was pricking his heart. God had designs for this bright young man, and in His sovereignty He was prepared to knock Saul off His high horse."

Saul.....he had it all. Privileged childhood, exceptional education and so much more. Yet as a man he became bent on the destruction of the Jews. The Lord was working on Saul from birth. The Spirit was pricking his heart, and the Lord did indeed knock Saul off his high horse. We all thank You Lord for Your servant Saul who ministered to the Gentiles.

Through the readings, I often think about how parents may prepare their children for a successful and spiritual future. No one knows what the future holds, but we hope and pray for the best. Many children have a life of comfort and opportunity, and there are others who struggle from an early age. In each and every instance, the Lord is there to help with whatever their needs may be. All they have to do is invite God into their lives.

I often wonder if this is why we may choose Biblical names for our children. When choosing a name, I did consider fathers and grandfathers, but ultimately, names chosen for my children were pretty much all from the apostles. Perhaps even from their birth, I was hoping for the Lord to prick their hearts and work in them to become refined as followers of Jesus. Lord, be they sons or daughters, we know that You have designs for all of our children since before they were born. Lord, thank You for Your perfect will in our lives and the lives of our children. May they turn out to be more like Saul/Paul than we could ever have imagined. To You alone Lord be the glory!