Scripture Reading
21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
Devotional Reflection
Saul has changed.
The man who once opposed Christ
is now preaching Him openly.
And naturally, people are stunned.
Confused.
Suspicious.
Trying to make sense of what they are seeing.
Because transformation can be difficult to believe,
especially when someone has a painful history.
And today, we hear the crowd ask a question
that reveals just how dramatic this change really was.
“Is not this he?”
The people could not stop looking backward.
They remembered who Saul had been.
His reputation.
His actions.
His history.
And to them,
that history seemed impossible to overcome.
But God was doing something new.
This is one of the great truths of the Gospel:
Your past may explain you,
but it does not define your future.
Transformation is beautiful.
But it can also feel uncomfortable.
Sometimes, even after we begin to change,
others still relate to us
through old memories and old expectations.
And if we’re honest,
we sometimes do the same to ourselves.
We rehearse old failures.
Old identities.
Old shame.
But God does not call Saul
by his former direction.
He calls him forward into something new.
So, keep walking forward.
Don’t let your past
have the final word over your life.
Yes, remember where you’ve been.
Learn from it.
Stay humble.
But don’t live trapped inside it.
If God is transforming you,
keep walking forward.
Not everyone will understand immediately.
That’s okay.
Transformation takes time to become visible to others.
But God sees the work He’s doing within you.
And that’s enough.
Closing Prayer
Lord,
There are moments when my past
feels louder than my future.
I remember old failures,
old mistakes,
and old versions of myself
that still try to shape how I see my life.
And sometimes, others remember them too.
But You are a God who transforms.
Help me not to remain trapped
in what I once was.
Give me humility to acknowledge my past,
but freedom to walk forward in grace.
When discouragement rises,
remind me that Your work within me
is still unfolding.
And when others struggle to see change,
help me remain patient, steady, and faithful.
Because You are not finished with me.
You are still shaping my heart,
renewing my mind,
and leading me into new life.
And what You are creating
is greater than what came before.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
Amen.