12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (I Timothy 1)
The love of Christ. Overwhelming. Paul marveled in it over and over again. He knew that he had been forgiven much as a former foe and persecutor of Christ's Church. We all might (and maybe should?) have that same spiritual sense of being a "special case." May this realization move us to the same overwhelming flow of praise that it did Paul here: Praise and Glory and Honor to such a loving and forgiving Savior.
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