“But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.” – Acts 9:27
After his abrupt conversion, Saul (who was later named Paul) was attempting to join the other disciples in the ministry of the Gospel. But because of his past record, they didn’t trust him, and, in fact, they were “afraid of him” (Acts 9:26). No matter what he said, they only saw Saul of Tarsus, the man who persecuted their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Now he wanted to be one of them! Thankfully, Barnabas was by his side, and because he witnessed Saul’s genuine faith in Christ, he was able to support Saul’s claims. Barnabas spoke up for Saul. Keeping pace during a marathon is much easier to do with someone running beside you. The same rule applies to our spiritual walk with God. Having others next to us during the ups and downs of life is essential for our endurance in the marathon of life with Christ.
Do you have a brother or sister in Christ who can walk with you day-in and day-out?
