Almost, thou persuadest me to be a Christian.  – Acts 26:28

Before the Apostle Paul died, he got the chance to stand before an Earthly king.  King Agrippa was the eighth and last ruler of the Herodian dynasty.  He held the title of King over the Jews, but in all practicality, he served Rome by keeping his people under control.  One day, he heard the case of this former, hardcore Jew turned Christian.  The Apostle Paul was also a Roman citizen appealing to the Roman courts.  When the big day comes, King Agrippa tells Paul to speak freely and all eyes fall on him.

Paul does one of the simplest things any Christian can do.  He tells his story.  He tells the court how he was a hardcore Jew who hunted down and killed Christians because he hated them.  He tells how he went on a hunt one day and got knocked off his horse and heard the voice of Jesus.  He was stuck with blindness until he was led to a man’s house named Ananias.  When Ananias prayed for Paul, his sight was restored.  Ever since that moment, Paul simply said that he has been living for the Lord, Jesus Christ. He also explained the events that brought him there that very day.

After listening to it all, King Agrippa says these words, “Almost, you persuade me to be a Christian.”

Almost.

I remember the sleepless nights after I found out about Jesus.  Just like Agrippa, I was so close to becoming a Christian.  I was convinced that a man name Jesus walked this earth and changed people’s hearts, minds, and lives.  I believed that Jesus saved.  On one particular night, while staying with one of my best friends, I couldn’t take it anymore.  I had to become a Christian.  I called my youth pastor.  He picked me up, took me to Fall Creek Landing in Salem, SC, and led me in a prayer where I talked to God for the first time in something other than a rote prayer.  I simply asked Him to wash my sins away and make me a Christian.  I felt so clean and so forgiven.  I could connect with God now.  27 years later, He is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

There are so many King Agrippas out there.  They know the truth.  They know Jesus is who He says He is.  They know He changes hearts, minds, and lives for the better.  They, just like Agrippa, simply don’t want their comfortable place in life messed with.  I do understand, I really do.  It isn’t an easy thing to do.  When I got saved, I thought I was giving up so much to gain so little.  I know now that it was the other way around.  I gave up so little to gain so much.

1900 years later, I would imagine that King Agrippa, who isn’t a king anymore, wishes he could remove one word from the Bible.

The word “almost.”

Later

Adam