Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9:3ff). Jesus struck Saul blind and implied that Saul should stop persecuting Jesus' Church. In three days, Saul was baptized into Jesus and thereby accepted Jesus as Lord, Savior, and God. This was the beginning of Jesus' revelation of Himself to Saul.
Saul (later to be named Paul) became "rooted in [Christ] and built up in Him" (Col 2:7). Paul came to realize that "in Christ the fullness of deity resides in bodily form" (Col 2:9) and that Jesus "is the Head of every principality and power" (Col 2:10). Paul came to know more deeply that God has brought us "new life in company with Christ. He pardoned all our sins. He canceled the bond that stood against us with all its claims, snatching it up and nailing it to the cross" (Col 2:13-14). Paul came to realize that Jesus also disarmed "the principalities and powers. He made a public show of them and, leading them off captive, triumphed in the person of Christ" (Col 2:15).
Where are you in your personal knowledge of Jesus? How much new revelation of Jesus have you received in the last year? Are you letting the Holy Spirit lead you more deeply into the mystery of the person of Jesus? (see 1 Cor 2:10) Do you love Jesus more deeply than ever? Is Jesus your Life and your Love? (see Jn 14:6; 1 Jn 4:8,16)
| PRAYER: | Father, lead me deeper into Jesus, Your Son. |
| PROMISE: | "Indeed, the whole crowd was trying to touch Him because power went out from Him which cured all." –Lk 6:19 |
| PRAISE: | Joe, in prison on death row, has been washed clean by Jesus' blood. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College