Today’s readings: 1 Samuel 15:1-3, 7-23; Acts 9:19b-31; Luke 23:44-56a

Paul is fired up for the gospel. After his conversion, he is ready to proclaim Jesus to all who want to hear. Everything should have gone well, but in our text, we see quite the contrary. This good news offends the locals in the synagogue and they are ready to kill Paul. Paul is ready and equipped for the proclamation of the Gospel and to win souls over for Jesus. But instead, he finds himself humiliated, cast off, rejected, and disregarded. His own friends finally have to take him at night and let him down over a wall. He walks away feeling like a failure.

The amazing thing is that many years later, Paul recounts this very episode in his life and claims it as a grounding for not ever being able to boast about his work. Paul stated the greatest event in his life was when they took him at night and let him down over the wall of Damascus in a basket. Why? Because it taught him humility, and trust in God.

So when we are fired up for Jesus and things do not work out, may we remember Paul and how God even used his humiliation for the furtherance of the Gospel.

Prayer: Lord, may we be humble in hearing and receiving your word as you send us to proclaim your truth. Amen.

Today’s devotion was written by Dieter Punt, Pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Troutman, NC.

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