The Great Exchange

The Great Exchange

By Donnah Jones

When I was Saul, I was ambitious for the laws of the Jewish nation.
I imprisoned men, women and children wherever I was stationed.
Letters from the authorities gave me what I needed to hunt them down.
I subdued many of the Christian Sect; showing myself a man of renown.

One day a man named Stephen was brought in, his teaching to explain.
As he talked. the writings of the prophets became exceeding plain.
However when he brought up the murder of Jesus Christ on the cross,
The crowd chunked many stones at him as they were very wroth.

The stones hit his body hard; his arms, legs and head began to bleed.
Stephen knelt and prayed for his enemies, their forgiveness was his plea.
While they threw stones their coats I held, that was my part.
His shinning face and patience in death I couldn’t get out of my heart.

Still I was not a changed man and off to Damascus I went,
To persecute Christians there is why I was sent.
Our travels abruptly stopped as bright light shown all around
“Saul, Saul, why persecute Me?” is what I heard while on the ground.

It was Jesus who spoke these words; Stephen was right all along!
With my heart and life changed, I now preach Jesus to the throng.
What a great exchange! The hate and reviling that ruled my life,
Are now exchanged for love, and gone is that horrible strife!

My friend, take it from me, Paul, that Jesus is able to affect a change.
He took arrogant and murderous me, making me His child in exchange.
I love Him most; I praise Him every day for rescuing me from me,
All I boast now of it is of Jesus Christ who gave His life and set me free!