God has other plans

Sunday April 14th, Acts 9: 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.  "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6 "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." Paul was doing what he and the religious right thought was the will of God by going from town to town to get rid of the new followers of Jesus.  God however had other plans, which is often the case when we “Think” we are doing God’s will by condemning others.  God has plans for you and I also; plans to spread the word of God’s love and grace.  Some confuse that as plans to spread the legalism Paul was about before God turned him around.  Today that kind of legalism comes in the form of anti-choice, anti-gay, pro-war, pro-death penalty agendas, the hot button litmus test issues for the conservative Christian community.  The TEA party is just a group of pre-Damascus Saul’s.  The trouble with the righteousness that comes from condemning others is that it often is just the flip side of the coin of self-righteousness.  God had a different agenda for Saul/Paul, and calls us to a different agenda.   Now get up, go to the city and meet with the ones you are trying to kill and get schooled.  In the end, both student and teacher learn that this God is a God of love and grace and forgiveness.