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SPECIAL NOTE: As i prepare this post, we are all hearing the tragic reports of the devastation and loss of life in Turkey and Syria resulting from the powerful earthquake. If you are like me, you are wanting to know how to respond and assist in this crisis. There are two ways we can help immediately. The first is to pray. Pray for the thousands who have lost family members and friends. Pray for the tens of thousands who have sustained injuries. Pray for the countless thousands who are feeling lost and hopeless, and those who have no place to go. Pray for the local churches and believers, as well as international partners, as they endeavor to respond as the hands and feet of Jesus extending His love and care. And give as you are financially able to support the relief efforts. Our family chooses to give through Send Relief, because 100% of those gifts go directly to help the people affected by the tragedy. https://www.sendrelief.org/projects/turkey-syria-earthquake/
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A religious zealot by the name of Saul set out on a journey that day.(1) It was a journey of his own choosing. He was on a mission – his own mission. No one had told him to go. He had to solicit letters of endorsement to provide to the synagogues in Damascus so that he could obtain their cooperation. No one gave him those letters. He had to solicit them.
There are two possible reasons for his actions. One possibility is that he had become so caught up in the rhetoric of the religious leaders that he truly had developed a deep-seated hatred for these followers of Jesus. He had guarded the cloaks while the others had stoned Stephen.(2) Since that day he had begun to make a name for himself as a persecutor of Christ followers there in Jerusalem. He had become a part of the threat that prompted the believers to scatter. As he saw it, the believers were a threat to the very fiber of the established religious community, and he saw this as a holy war to eliminate their influence. As such, he was willing to go fight battles that even the religious leaders themselves had no interest in fighting. They were content to be rid of the many believers who had fled from Jerusalem; Saul, however, was not.
A second possibility was his own selfish ambition. Saul apparently was a good student and a quick learner. He was probably a graduate of the university in Tarsus – the greatest Greek university of the day. He was a student of Gamaliel, considered by most to be the greatest Hebrew scholar of the day. He obviously aspired to become an influential religious leader himself, perhaps even the high priest. This ambitious young man saw this journey to Damascus as a way to prove himself to the religious leaders and garner their support so that he might more quickly rise in the ranks of leadership.
Thus, either his hatred or his ambition – or both – created an eagerness in his heart to “kill the Lord’s followers”. He was on a mission to kill them. Let there be no confusion – Saul was not pursuing God. He was declaring war on God. And yet, God in His sovereignty, in His mercy, and by His grace was Himself pursuing Saul – not for his defeat, but for his transformation.
As he approached Damascus at midday, suddenly he saw a bright light from heaven that caused even the sun to pale. He could not stand in its presence and immediately he fell to the ground. As he did, he heard the voice of the Lord Jesus speaking to him. Though his companions heard the sound of someone’s voice, they could not distinguish what Jesus was saying, and they were not blinded by the light. Without Saul having any awareness, the Father had ordered his steps that day to have an encounter with the Living Lord Jesus. None of his companions shared in that encounter – it was a personal encounter between Jesus and Saul. It was not a gradual encounter; it was sudden and momentary. In a brief moment, Saul knew four things.
First, he now knew firsthand that Jesus was alive. He had refused to accept the testimony from the believers about the resurrection of Jesus. His disbelief had been central in his persecution of the believers. But now he knew that Jesus was alive.
Therefore, second, he knew that he had been wrong. He had denied Jesus and been a part of murdering innocent Christians. He was immediately overcome by his sin. There was no hiding his sin in this light. There was no denying his sin. Jesus had just totally illuminated all the darkness of his sin. He had no choice other than to repent – which was no small thing for this self-righteous Pharisee.
Third, he knew that everything about his life had to change – his mission, his pursuits, his ambition and his values. He knew everything had just changed. He could no longer chase after anything in his life that he had been pursuing – everything had been made different. He no longer sought the approval of others (the religious leaders); He sought the approval of only One (Jesus). He could no longer do anything he had been doing – all of his so-called good works and attempts at legalistic self-righteousness were all as filthy rags. He could no longer walk in those rags. He must now walk in the righteousness of Christ. His circle of friends (albeit probably a small circle) would have to change. The very ones that to this moment he had been persecuting would now become his circle of friends. He was a new person – the old had passed away.(3)
Fourth, not only had his life just been transformed, but so had his purpose. This Hebrew of the Hebrews would become the apostle to the Gentiles. This one who had made it his life focus to scatter and persecute the sheep would now be a shepherd. This enforcer of the law would now be a proclaimer of grace. He had now been transformed into a vessel of honor to be used by the Master.(4)
Saul had set out on his journey to arrest others, but instead, Jesus “arrested” him – capturing His heart and soul. He had set out in a religious pursuit, but instead, he had gained the righteousness of Christ – all because of the grace, mercy and sovereign purpose of God! His had been a journey totally contrary to God’s purpose, but now God had transformed the purpose to align with His sovereign plan.
And the same is true for us. The journey we are currently on may have begun out of our own selfish desires or ambitions. Or it may have been driven by our rebellion against God. Or it may have begun as a result of someone else’s rebellion. Or it may have arisen due to a circumstance that we had no control over. The journey may in fact be a path in a relationship or a decision that left unaltered will result in us being led away from God – and the best that He desires for us.
The fact of the matter is that whatever prompted the journey, God can – and will – use the journey for us to have a fresh encounter with Him and to experience the transformation He intends for our lives. It was a personal journey that day for Saul – hopefully his traveling companions were transformed on another day. It’s a personal journey for each of us as well. He is going with us – on our Damascus Road – every step of the way. We would do well to follow Saul’s lead. Listen to the voice of Jesus – and do whatever it is He tells us to do.
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Portions of this post are taken from Until He Returns, chapter 23, entitled “A Damascus Road Encounter.” This sixth book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is also available through Amazon in print or for your Kindle or Kindle app. Click HERE for more information on this book.
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(1) Acts 9:1-9 (NLT)
Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them – both men and women – back to Jerusalem in chains. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting Me?” “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.
(2) Acts 7:58
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