I Was Mercied

# 28 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 1:12,13 - “ And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.” (1 Tim 1:12,13) Paul is oozing with thanksgiving as he recalls where he came from and where the Lord has stationed him now. In spite of a life marked by blasphemy and relentless intent to eradicate “The Way,” Paul says, “I obtained mercy,” One commentator put it this way, “I was mercied.” And what mercy it was. It changed a monstrous sinner into a penitent believer and a mighty apostle of the Lord! Do not think that the reason Paul obtained mercy was due to his ignorance. No! It was because of his actions carried out in ignorance that he NEEDED mercy! He is merely confessing that he was a sinner in need of mercy! Ignorance of the Law and saving grace of God through Jesus never excuses our actions, it only explains them. The murderous Paul was a recipient of the very grace and mercy that Jesus prayed for those who reviled Him and hung Him on the cross when He prayed, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do!” Paul's ignorant actions stemmed from his own unbelief. He did not know or see the deity and Saviorhood of Christ. That all changed for him when Jesus met him on the road to Damascus and revealed Himself to him. It all changed for the murderers of Jesus as well on the day of Pentecost when Peter revealed Jesus as the Christ, simply by preaching the Word. And on that day 3000 souls ceased to be ignorant and bowed their knees to the Son of the Living God! Paul, the 3000, you, me, all sinners bound for hell until God mercied us through the revelation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Are you saved? Thank God at every turn! Do you know someone who is not saved? Pray for them! Pray that God would in accordance with the words of Jesus found in Acts 26:18, , “open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'