Stephen and Paul
We are being remade for a world
where one man -
a man whose face shone brightest
while people like guttered candles
clamored to extinguish him,
a man who received a standing ovation
from the very Savior
whose words of forgiveness he repeated
as he went from life to Life -
can meet another man -
a man who held the coats
and approvingly looked on darkness
as if it were light,
a man who was blinded
in order
to be able to See -
where such men meet as brothers
and, embraced, weep
at unpredictably answered prayers
and the goodness of a God
who can make enemies
into kindred spirits.
Background:
Ever since it occurred to me that Stephen and Paul met again when Paul died, I have been obsessed with the thought of that reunion. The last time they saw each other with earthly eyes, Paul was watching and approving Stephen’s murder and martyrdom.
And imagine! Stephen prayed right before his death, asking God to forgive his killers, just as Jesus had done. Then, many earthly years later, Paul follows in Stephen’s footsteps, dying faithful to Jesus, and I can just picture Stephen overcome with joy: “It worked, the prayer worked!” At the very least, one person in that mob received forgiveness, and what an effective one he was!
Also, Jesus STANDING at the right hand of God as Stephen gazes into heaven right before he dies - I can’t get enough of that image. So many other times, I remember mentions of Jesus seated at the right hand of God. I need to research if there are any other times He is described as standing - Jesus seems just the kind of King to stand at such a sacrifice of one of His dear ones, maybe to honor them, maybe rising to greet them. (I was so pumped when Dr. Bill Creasy of Logos Bible Studies noted this in one of his recorded lectures. Credit to him for drawing my attention even more pointedly to this beautiful account.)
Lord, help us be people of courage and compassion. Help us have such purely loving hearts that, first, we mean it, and mean it deep, when we pray for our enemies and second, that we would be unable to hold back our joy if we met those we prayed for in Paradise. Just like Jesus in whose name we ask all things.
Wishing you goodness without end,
Jess