from Gary Hamrick
... Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Chapel

... When we stop resisting the Lord and humbly surrender to Him, we discover that His mercy has been pursuing us all along

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV (devotion translation)

The conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus reminds us that no heart is beyond the reach of God’s grace. Saul was not indifferent toward Christ. He opposed Him fiercely. He persecuted believers, approved of violence against the church, and believed he was serving God in doing so. Yet Jesus met him personally and revealed the truth that Saul had been resisting all along.

What stands out in this account is not merely the dramatic nature of Saul’s conversion, but the patience and mercy of Christ. Jesus confronted Saul with truth, yet He did not destroy him. Instead, He called him to surrender. The Lord had been working in Saul’s heart long before that moment on the Damascus road. What Saul viewed as strength and religious devotion had become resistance against God’s purpose. Only when he was brought low did he finally begin to see clearly.

This is often how the Lord works in our lives. Before there can be spiritual renewal, there must first be surrender. We cannot simply add Christ to our existing priorities and continue unchanged. The gospel calls us to die to self so that we may live a new life through Him. Salvation is not achieved through human effort or religious performance. It is received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

The same man who once persecuted Christians became one of the boldest witnesses for Christ the world has ever known. God’s grace transformed his heart, redirected his life, and used him for His glory. That same grace still changes lives today. No past failure, stubborn resistance, or sinful history is greater than the power of Christ to redeem.

Lord, thank You for Your patient mercy and transforming grace. Teach me to surrender fully to You and to walk faithfully in the new life You have given through Christ. Amen.

• 1 Timothy 1:12-16 - Paul viewed his own salvation as a testimony of Christ’s patience and mercy toward sinners.
• Ephesians 2:8-9 - Salvation is received by grace through faith, not by human works.
• Romans 6:4-11 - Believers are called to die to the old life and walk in newness of life through Christ.
• Galatians 2:20 - The Christian life is lived through surrender to Christ who lives within us.
• Ezekiel 36:26-27 - God promises to give His people a new heart and spirit.
• Philippians 3:4-9 - Paul renounced confidence in religious achievement and placed his faith entirely in Christ.
• Titus 3:3-7 - God saves and renews people according to His mercy, not their righteousness.

Saul to Paul - A Journey to Faith in Christ

• Acts 7:57-60 - Saul was present at Stephen’s martyrdom and approved of his death.
• Acts 8:1-3 - Saul actively persecuted the church, imprisoning believers.
• Acts 9:1-2 - Still opposing Christ, Saul sought authority to pursue Christians in Damascus.
• Acts 9:3-6 - On the road to Damascus, the risen Jesus confronted Saul and revealed that he had been persecuting the Lord Himself.
• Acts 9:7-9 - Saul was left blind and humbled, fasting and waiting for God’s direction.
• Acts 9:10-17 - God sent Ananias to Saul, declaring that Saul was a chosen instrument to bear Christ’s name.
• Acts 9:18 - Saul received his sight, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and was baptized.
• Acts 9:19-22 - The former persecutor immediately began proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God.
• Acts 22:3-16 - Paul later recounted his conversion, emphasizing Christ’s personal call and his response in obedience.
• Acts 26:9-20 - Before King Agrippa, Paul testified that he had resisted Christ but was appointed to turn others from darkness to light.