God Selects His “Instruments”

Lately, I have been wondering what the Lord has planned for me. My kids are both in school full time this year. After being a stay-at-home mom for 3 years, I am wondering if I should go back to work. Or, perhaps I should take a path that I have not even considered yet.

I have been reading Acts in my bible study group. I find it so interesting that the Lord will select the most unlikely people to serve him. In Acts, God selects Saul, who is “breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.” In a flash of light, God changed Saul. God brought Saul to his knees, and Saul listened. In God’s almighty flash of light, Saul went from hunting down the Lord’s beloved disciples to becoming one of the Lord’s disciples.

Saul’s Conversion

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

 –Acts 9:1-6 New International Version (NIV)

The Lord selected Saul to use as his “chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” I love the term “chosen instrument”. He changed Saul into a vessel to sing the praises of the Lord to unbelievers. Saul had quite a reputation. I would guess that he terrified people, based on the reaction of how Ananias felt about going to Saul.

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

–Acts 9:13-16 New International Version (NIV)

I feel like Saul. I am an imperfect person, wondering if God is going to call me to do something out of my comfort zone. Last night, one of the bible study study leaders said that the Lord will equip us with what he is calling us to do. God selects his “instruments”. We just need to listen to the Lord.