Whom Have I But You

Acts 22:19–24

"’Lord,' I replied, 'these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.' “Then the Lord said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'” The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!” As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this.”

The Gospel challenges as it changes lives; it convicts us and then it transforms us. The message of Jesus Christ is sometimes confounding, often hard, but always, always good. The Living Life writer comments, “Many people are willing to listen to the Gospel message only if the claims do not challenge their personal beliefs or convictions. People often have little trouble believing that Jesus was a good man or a powerful prophet, but they become offended when they are challenged with the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the sole Savior of the world. The truth can be uncomfortable and even offensive, but those who receive the Gospel understand that God shines His light on sin so that they might repent and turn to Him.” The Apostle Peter responded to the Lord when many left because of a difficult teaching, “from that time on, many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. So Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave too?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God” (John 6:66–69).” When belief in God becomes difficult, when the words of our Lord appear difficult and challenges us, when it confronts our desires, what we hope and pray for, when the answer is not what we prefer, when disappointments abound, emotions a roller coaster, and life gets hard, “the tendency is to turn away from Him” to which writer GK Chesterton sharply remarked, “but in heaven's name to what?!” Dear Father, “whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psa 73:25).”