Me, a Christian?

Job 17
Acts 24-26

SOAP - Me, a Christian?

Scripture
Acts 26:28-29 Then Agrippa spoke to Paul. "Are you trying to talk me into becoming a Christian?" he said. "Do you think you can do that in such a short time?" Paul replied, "I don't care if it takes a short time or a long time. I pray to God for you and all who are listening to me today. I pray that you may become like me, except for these chains."

Observation
Paul has been trying to defend his actions and telling about Jesus. Some translations make it sound kind of like King Agrippa is mocking Paul. Some don't really give an impression of his attitude toward Christianity. Others make it sound like he is pleasantly surprised by what Paul is saying, on the verge of being convinced that he wants to be a Christian too. In any case, Paul responds that whether it only takes a short time to convince people, or a long time, his hope is that all who hear him will become Christians.

Application
Umm... I'm really doing bad with the application part lately. I read this early this morning. This was the scripture that stood out to me but I couldn't think of anything to say about it. I thought something might come to me during the day, but it hasn't. Maybe I just like it that Paul was hoping for all people to become Christians, even if it took a long time. Actually, the "except for these chains" part kinda makes me laugh. But I don't really know how it's applicable to my life. Maybe this also makes me think of being part of a church that is just getting started... whether it happens overnight or it takes longer, our hope is to grow and share God's love with more and more people.

Prayer
Dear Lord, help us all maintain the hope of sharing your love with all people, even if sometimes the timing might be different than we planned. Lord I pray that you'd give us strength and clarity of mind to follow your plans and help us not get bogged down when your plan takes turns we were not expecting. Help us see clearly enough to take the next step out into the darkness, trusting you, knowing that any path that follows you is amazing. Thank you Lord for your love. Amen.