Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Timothy 1:13 (New Living Translation)

In my insolence, I persecuted his (God’s) people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.

This is Paul telling of his past sins and God’s mercy. Paul would smash into gatherings of Christians and kill and torture those he found. That is an ugly picture. Consider it for a few moments.

Paul didn’t understand how the old prophets were predicting the Son of God coming to save mankind. Paul didn’t believe that Jesus fellow from Nazareth was the Son of God. Paul was ignorant and unbelieving.

That didn’t matter to God. We are told about how God’s mercy worked in the life of Paul. Paul is famous—people for 20 centuries knew of him.

Paul is alone in his fame; Paul is not alone in his redemption.

We cannot count the people through the centuries who were ignorant and unbelieving, yet still received the mercy of God. Ignorance and unbelief pains God. They do not cause God to turn away and “write us off.” God is still there waiting for us.

Praise be to God for unfailing love, grace, and mercy. (Now, if I could just grow up enough to act a little more like God.)