Why are you persecuting me

Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus christ is in US.

The bible verse Corinthians 13 verse 5 is life changing. Ask yourself, do you see this as a metaphor or real life truth. That our saviour dwells within us. Often when we read the bible, we plough through bible verses and many slip through our minds without us seeing the bigger picture. I don't about you, but speaking on a personal level, I could read something 99 times, yet on the 100th time, that's when the light bulb moment happens. Whether that being one verse or verses stands out to you, speaking volumes In your life, or God is showing you a deeper revelation of what it means. Both those moments are spectacular. Bare this in mind for the greater purpose of this blog.

The road the Demascus

After Jesus had died, was buried, rose again and ascended to heaven. His disciples just couldn't stop talking about him. Everything they've witnessed from when Jesus first called them to follow, right up to his resurrection. Think about it, would you blame them, if you were them and saw everything Jesus did in the three years his ministry took place.. They saw it first hand. How exciting. It would be incredibly hard to keep quiet, would you agree?. When Jesus’s promise of the holy spirit came, well there was no stopping them. They were thrown into jail, some even killed. The high priests tried to shut them up, yet it encouraged them even more. One of the men against the idea of Jesus being the Messiah, was a man named Saul. He made it his sole mission to arrest and throw into prison, he even threatened the death of anyone found as a follower of Jesus Christ. Saul got his authorisation letter to hand to the synagogue of Demascus so he can execute his mission. Things didn't quite go as planned though. You see, while he made his way to Demascus, he had an encounter with Jesus himself. It reads a bright light from heaven shown all around him. Acts 9: 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.  In verse 8 we read that it blinded him. During this spotlight moment, a voice spoke saying "why are you persecuting me?" confused as anyone would be, Saul naturally asked "who are you!" this is where Jesus introduces himself. Wow! Can you imagine being Saul at this very moment. Terrified. Finding out that the very man in whom he is pursuing anyone who follows him. Has just brought him to a hault, blinded him with a heavenly light, and shot to pieces any theology he's ever known in a matter of seconds. Yet it stands to question. How is Saul persecuting Jesus, if Jesus is in heaven. Good point, from his point of view he saw Jesus's trial, his death and he knows he was buried. So how?

Lets look into this. You see, before the spirit of God over shadowed Mary, causing the journey of Jesus to start, as he entered the world a baby... Before all that, the presence of God was only felt in the most holy of holies in the temple. Only the high priest could enter it and make the sacrifices the people brought in order to repent of their sins. The blood resembled the cleansing of their sins. This practise is what God told moses to explain to the Jews, was to happen. It wasn't how God wanted things to be, but until the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, it was a way of helping people to realise how sinful they are. We aren't the only ones in history with the I'll do it my way attitude. Impatience is a downfall for us all. We all want God to do his promises now, in our timing not his. (John 10 verse 10 says, the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.) This verse I'm sure, we could all talk about the different angles in which we see this verse. But in this case, I see this verse the answer to the ten commandments and sacrificial acts that was done before the death of christ. God wanted us all to live life in abundance. This doesn't mean we will all be rich, no, I believe this means spiritual wealth, Gods wealth, which is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self control. There is so much more riches in this earth that we haven't reached that God wants for us. But because we fall into the temptations and distractions of this life, we put aside, maybe unintentionally, our relationship with God.

The point God's been laying on my heart, is that what ever we do, however we decide to react to others, it affects him. There are different ways we could look at this perspective.

1. Brothers and sisters in christ, if we treat the other harshly: in the bible Jesus says to Saul what you are doing to my disciples you are doing to me (Acts 9:5). This is in fact later re-affirmed in Matthews when Jesus talks about the end times...judgment day. (Matthew 5:31-33) When those who reject God and those to love God are seperated and Jesus says to the ones who rejected him. You didnt clothe me, feed me, give me a drink or visit me in prison. What you didn't do for the least of these you didn't do for me. (Matthew 25: 41-45)

2. Another angle would also link to our bodies being a temple. (1Corinthians 6:19-20) When we accept Jesus into our lives, the spirit of God lives in us. (1John 4: 15) That to me would suggest he is there as and when we speak and act. We are representatives of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20) Are we showing a good father or a waste of Time. If you looked at life as you are causing Jesus to do what you are doing. Would you still hurt a Gods creation? Would you still react to get your temporary satisfaction? Knowing my body is a temple for God's spirit, has surely made me think before I act. I'm not saying I'm 100% innocent but it does help.

I don't have it all together. No way. Plenty of times in my life, even in recent times I've wanted nothing more than the person whose causing great pain, to suffer in the same way. But then I remind myself what's more important. A soul eternally in heaven far out weighs any temporary revenge. I say this with a heavy heart. Sorrowful and passion. Because God reminded me of the dream I once had. In this particular dream I was in a que that was going up these stairs. I had no idea where it was leading until it was my turn. All I could see was people being steered to the left or the right. When it was my turn, the person/angel guiding people said before you go in their (the room on my left) he said just have a look in that room. I went into the opposite room and great sorrow filled my heart. All I could see were flames, from top to bottom and the people Init couldn't leave after entering. All I heard were screams. I remember waking up with tears in my eyes. No one should go there. Yet they do, because they reject God. And this breaks God's heart. He doesn't want anyone to perish and not spend eternity with him.

So how do we love like jesus loves us. Well that's a good question. It takes a life time to learn. It isn't something we can do without his guidance. As it is so easy for us to slip back into the vengeance is mine. Instead of vengeance is Gods. Ask God; ask him to help you see others through his eyes and not your own. Ask him to help you love others the way he loves us. He will help, he'll give you opportunities to learn, and help you through it. Don't give up if things don't change over night. A baby doesn't come out the womb walking straight away. But in time that infant does walk. The same is with us. And as we build our relationship with God, our learning to love and hand over the vengeance to God gets easier and easier. He is worthy to be praise. 

Let's pray 

Father God,  you know all things. You are love and you love us so much so you made a way where there was no way for us to be washed clean and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ. Thank you for such a precious gift. Help us dear God to see others through your eyes. Help us to love others, even those that have proven difficult to love. Everyone needs love no matter how tough they make themselves look. Father it's so easy to seek revenge when we are hurt. We seek your help and guidance into treating others with love and respect. Help us grow in faith and trust, knowing you are the author of life. You are the guide and perfector all of things. And as your words says you won't stop until completion. Thank you. We praise you. In Jesus name amen.