In Acts 9, Paul, even as he was "still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples", was declared by God to be "My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and the people of Israel". WOW! It's a demonstration of how God loves us first and doesn't choose to love individuals based on their merit. I've read this many times before, but never saw the connection to Rom 5:8. Have you ever had an experience where a loved one or friend (used by God) roughed you up a little to knock some sense into you in order to change the direction of your life? I can remember a few of those times when I was a teenager. I can identify with Paul in some of those stinging moments of my life, when I needed something like a "flash of light" to cause me "fall to the ground" and I was "told what you must do". When I read the part of Paul's conversion when "he opened his eyes and could see nothing", I wondered if the reason He was blinded for a time, was so that he would quickly learn to depend on God to "tell him what he must do". After Paul regained his sight, he spent time with the disciples, "at once began to preach in the synagogues", and "grew more and more powerful, proving to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ". Paul was once an enemy of God and was transformed into a very important instrument of God.

For many years, I have prayed for my younger brother. The usual stuff, like health and safety and direction for his life, but mostly that God would change him like he did Paul. Knowing my brother , I prayed that God would bring a believing woman into his life that would be a great influence in opening his mind and heart to God. I prayed this for many years, and God finally did answer the prayer, but not the way that I expected! God brought my own mother to Jesus first, thoroughly changing her life, and she has been a powerful influence on my brother.

I don't understand His ways, nor his plans , but this much I know. God is good!

Even when I don't know, He does ! What do you think?