Go, for I will send you...

Acts 22:17-21, When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

Paul had his own ideas about his mission, and had a tremendous heart for his own people. But he recognized Jesus as Lord and obeyed the call to go to the Gentiles, despite all of his training and tradition that cried against it! Are we as willing to lay aside our own biases, training and tradition to obey Jesus? How is He calling us in our own time? Are we willing to obey no matter how He calls us?

Give us this same willingness to obey Your call, Lord Jesus!

ESV Lectionary