Gospel Reflections #153: God will never give up until Jesus is in the throne of our hearts

Acts 26:19,20 "I will not disobey what has been revealed to me from heaven...I told them to repent and turn back to God...I told them to repent and turn to God."

Paul was taken prisoner by the governor Felix in Acts 24.Two years later, an opportunity was set aside for King Agrippa to hear Paul's story, and it was then that Paul attempted to evangelize the king as well. Paul did not focus on his situation. He wanted to share Jesus wherever he had the opportunity. The passion to share Jesus occupied Paul's mind more than his situation as a prisoner of war.

What occupies your heart? My heart may be occupied with the desire to protect myself and to be as good as possible. We also feel that such a heart is not good. And we try our best to drown out such a heart by serving and balancing the books. God knows our weakness and self-centeredness. God forgives us and accepts us. And God is personally involved with us and nurtures us, just as He did with Paul.

Even though Paul was persecuting Jesus, God was involved with Paul. God was not looking at Paul's actions, but at the depths of his heart, and He worked there. That experience changed Paul and filled his heart with Jesus.

God looks at our hearts, not our actions. He pours His love into our weak and dirty hearts. We are being transformed by that love. God will not give up. He will not cut corners until we are transformed. He will continue to love us until our hearts are full of Jesus. From God's point of view, we and Paul are His children!

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This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, a devoted student of the Bible who passionately embraces the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on the Gospels as a way to reach out to others and spread the message of Jesus. We're sharing her message here so that you too can experience the joy that comes from the Gospel that has filled her heart.