Before You Begin: Read 9:1-9
Saul’s Conversion
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
The men traveling with Saul stood their speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
Stop and Consider: Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
Questions Asked of Me: Interesting, isn’t it, that Saul wasn’t searching for Jesus at the moment of his conversion. What does that tell you about the pursuing love of Christ?
My conversation with Daddy this week reminded me of a few things;
· Jesus comes first and everything else is secondary.
· It is never about us but ALL about Him.
· Read my bible EVERY DAY, not just when I feel like it.
I wasn’t looking for Jesus when He found me; that’s for sure. In fact, I was probably doing the opposite in keeping my distance, knowing that my behavior would not be something my parents would approve of, let alone Him.
But…when I went looking for Him I realized (with another reminder from my parents) that He was there all along (just like my parents); waiting…..pursuing…. no matter where I was…. my own road to Damascus.
Your saving encounter with Jesus may very likely have come with fewer flashes of light than Saul’s did. Has this troubled you? Why should it not?
I don’t think my saving encounter with Jesus had fewer flashes of light than Saul’s. My lights were more like red and blue lights flashing in my rear view mirror in the form of a police officer pulling me over for my second, and final, DUI. And even though I wasn’t struck blind when opening my eyes, I was blinded by my mistakes and wide awake to the idea of Jesus and finally figuring out that I was made for more than bad decisions and bad playgrounds at the age of 40.
I know that we each have our “Coming to Jesus” moment and it took me a while to figure out that sometimes the bad things were happening so I would turn to Him instead of trying to live my life the hard way; thinking I could do everything by myself. We shouldn’t compare our stories in how we have been saved by His pursuing grace and mercy but recognize the similarities in the parts of our lives we do share; running or hiding from him in our own ways, either physically or emotionally; thinking we aren’t worthy to have a love like His no matter where our past took us; or simply embracing the fact that we are all different but He loves us just the same.
Look at how many redeeming examples there are in the bible. Look at how many versions of parables Jesus gave to us to emulate with. Look at what Jesus was able to do with anyone He chose…. and He chose US ALL.
Detour: Love how Beth said it in the reading today. I agree with every point.: “Why did You call me? With all my failures and frailties, why do I have the privilege of loving You, of knowing You the little that I do?”
“I remember some of my first experiences when this formerly dogmatic, closed-minded woman unwillingly discovered the shade of gray. I used to see everything in black and white. I’ve concluded that for those who only see gray, God often emphatically and lovingly paints portraits of black and white so they are forced to acknowledge contrasts. For those who only see black and white, He introduces situations when answers aren’t so easy, where lists “A to Z” cannot be found, and when points one, two, and three don’t work.
Gray.
Life is full of grays, but in Saul’s dramatic conversion, you and I get to enjoy a little black and white – the evil of a sinner’s heart, the purity of a Savior’s mercy.”
Wow….
How can a story like Paul’s, a love like Jesus’, and this great analogy of gray like Beth’s NOT make me grateful?
The sketchy sinning of my past, the love of His “pursuing” mercy. Enough said.
Praying God’s Word Today: Lord Jesus, though You have sought and found us in various ways according to Your perfect will and knowledge, Your Spirit testifies together with our spirit that we are Your children, and if children, also heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17). Far from being for our sakes alone, this causes us to praise. You for Your glorious grace – the grace with which You have favored us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6). We who deserve so little have been lavished with Your love. How can I begin to thank you?
Romans 8:16-17
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Ephesians 1:6
…..to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Dear Jesus:
You found me on the road to Lake Orion. I never would have thought that I would be thanking you for that moment but here I am; doing just that. I didn’t have many more nights like that in me. I am not sure just how much more I could have done and still found my way back, but You did. You even picked the exact moment you knew I would be ready to sacrifice my old life and begin a new one with You as the center; with my mom in California at her church with her beside me….a “Made for TV” movie in the making. Your Movie.
My flashes of light weren’t of the heavenly kind but You knew I needed more than that. My flashes were exactly what You knew I needed and I am eternally grateful for that night, just days before Thanksgiving in 2008….how appropriate. I am sorry that it took until the following Thanksgiving to be thankful for that evening but I know that You are happy that it happened at all; maybe even a little happier than I know my parents were.
I know that I deserve so little of what has come my way since knowing you; my husband, a relationship with my parents and my daughters, answering our prayer for Robbe’s dream job, and even this recent move to Nineveh. I don’t deserve any of it and yet you lavished it on me as if I followed You from the beginning. You don’t have favorites but treat us all the same, regardless of our pasts…and I thank you for that.
I end today simply with a scripture You have put on my heart at the beginning of this cheerleader and spokesperson adventure put before me:
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Peter 3:15
One Word……JESUS!
Love,
Me
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