Tuesday, April 29, 2025  

Today's Scripture
Acts 9:1–19

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. (NRSV)

Reflection

Saul, or Paul, as we more often refer to him, had a destructive agenda. He was a devoted Jew determined to destroy this Jesus cult, which was growing in popularity. I am willing to cut Paul a little slack here, as the Jewish people were basically practicing their religion at the acquiescence of their Roman rulers and, as such, were always on the precipice of having their religious observance curtailed by those same rulers. Their situation was precarious, and this cult of Jesus, the Way, was a threat to the whole system.

Paul’s conversion is a fascinating story. He has the experience that many of us might welcome — Jesus strikes him down, Paul hears directly from Jesus, and he receives direct instruction as to what he should do next. If he doubted the significance of Jesus before this event, he did not doubt it afterward. I don’t know about you, but I would welcome such a clear message from God.

Usually we divine the will of God for our lives through prayer and trust. How much easier it would be if God would just talk to us from the sky? I think the message of this passage for us is twofold. First, God wanted to make very clear to Paul that Jesus was in fact the Messiah and that Paul should stop persecuting his followers. The second lesson we should take from this story of Paul’s conversion is that God will make God’s will for us known, even if God has to strike us blind on the road to Damascus.

Most of us won’t require such a dramatic conversion experience, but this story shows us the extent to which God will go to reach us — God will pursue us and never give up. If God cared enough to extend grace to Paul the persecutor, how much more will God pursue us, who are not actively seeking to destroy God’s ministry here on earth?

Prayer
Dear God, we are eager to hear your will for us. Help us to be open to hear your word for us. Thank you for your grace and love. Amen.

Written by Juli Crabtree, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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