In an attempt to get back into the routine of things I am grateful that You have kept me safe – especially after seeing two different people waiting for assistance this morning after hitting deer!
Acts 9:1-2 (<<click here to read the passage)
One of my favorite memories from childhood is the cartoons! And on the top of the list of my favorite characters is Bugs Bunny and his many compatriots. Weirdly enough, as I read the beginning verses of the ninth chapter of Acts, one of Bugs’ nemeses came to mind – Yosemite Sam (though in reality Bugs was more Sam’s nemesis than the other way around!)
The verse reads, “Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.” And all I could think of was Yosemite Sam’s infamous cursing in gibberish – you know, “ya crazy rackin’, frackin’, varmint rabbit!”
One of the many theatrical cartoon shorts was From Hare to Heir, released on September 3, 1960 (a few years before I was born!) The general plot was that Sam, Duke of Yosemite, learns he is penniless, because his uncle, the King, has cut off his allowance. Bugs Bunny is sent to see if Sam can prove that he is worthy of a monetary gift from the king by not losing his temper. Every time he does, Bugs can deduct whatever he thinks is a suitable portion of the gift. In short order, Sam blows through it because he is constantly losing his temper and uttering threats with every breath, eager to get rid of that varmint rabbit!
Now the Merrie Melodies of the Warner Brothers were all in fun but there was nothing funny about what Saul set about doing to the “Lord’s followers.” Verse two states,
He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
Saul was serious to the hilt and was so zealous for his Jewish beliefs that he began a persecution campaign against anyone who believed in Christ (“followers of the Way”).*
Why in the world would Saul want to persecute Christians as far away as Damascus? It was like 150 miles north of Jerusalem!
One big reason was that Damascus was a big crossroads of commerce in the Roman province of Syria. His goal was to stamp out the spread of Christianity to other major cities in the Roman world. But as we will find out very soon, the Lord Jesus had a whole different plan!
We can mutter whatever we want under our breath, and honestly, God allows us to pursue our own blinded ways, but He is always out to change the course of those ways, and thankfully He took a pretty straightforward approach to Saul’s threats and desire to kill His followers. Because Saul yielded to Jesus’ interaction with him, the world would forever be changed!
Lord Jesus, may we be more willing to change our ways and eagerly follow You! And though Bugs and Sam are a little out there may thoughts of them bring thoughts of You! And we are eternally grateful that our many failures, if repentance is sought, never diminishes the wonderful gift of salvation! Amen.
*Life Application Study Bible
Mar 14th, 2022, Mon, 6:52 pm
