Sunday Reflection – Road to Damascus

Every once in a while, I’ll hear someone say, “He had a road to Damascus experience.”  Usually it’s said in reference to an experience that creates a change in one’s life.  And, it is often a joyous experience that is celebrated.

In my morning study, I just reread Saul/Paul’s road to Damascus experience (Acts 9).

Paul had set out on his journey with hate in his heart.

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. (Acts 9:1).

Then the darkness of his hate ran smack into the light from heaven and Saul encountered the voice of the risen Lord.

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?” (Acts 9:3,4)

This reminds me of when God was walking in the garden and Adam and Eve were hiding from him in shame of their sin.  God called out to Adam, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9)

I suspect God knew where Adam was hiding and Jesus knew why Saul was persecuting him.  God knows our heart and the sin in their hearts lead Adam to hide from God and Saul to persecute the followers of Jesus.

Saul is blinded for three days and during that time he did not eat or drink anything.  I think the blindness was a gift from God for it forced Saul to look within himself, into his heart of hate, without any distractions. 

Jesus also gave Saul a vision that a man named Ananias would come and place his hands on him and restore his sight (Acts 9:12).  I wonder if Saul really believed this would happen?

I believe that during this three days Jesus was preparing the ground of his heart for his true road to Damascus experience.

That experience occurred when Ananias fulfilled Saul’s vision.  Something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he arose and was baptized.

From that point on Saul/Paul lived out the other prophecy that Jesus gave to Ananias:

“Go, this man (Saul) is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.  I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:15,16)

Whenever we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior and put our faith in him, I guess we all had a road to Damascus experience.   Will we “suffer for his name” as Saul did?  If not, why not?