A Humbling Experience Acts 9:4-6 (NIV) - 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. Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute and arrest Jesus’ followers when Jesus encountered him. He got up but realised that he was blinded by the brilliant light. His companions had to lead him by the hand into the city. He remained blinded for the next three days and he did not quite know what had happened and what to expect next. While Saul lost his vision, God spoke to His devout follower, Ananias, in a vision, instructing him to go to the house where Paul was staying. God entrusted Ananias with two tasks. Firstly, he was to pray for Saul to regain his vision. Secondly, he was to convey God’s message to him. God had chosen Saul to receive direct revelation from Him and to be His witness. Read the full story in Acts 9:1-19 and 22:6-16. I find this encounter interesting. What a way to get to know Jesus! Apart for the light and voice from heaven, what fascinates me is the manner in which Jesus dealt with Saul. Have it occurred to you that Jesus could have healed Saul personally just as he had blinded him? But He did not. Have it also occurred to you that Jesus could have spoken to Saul directly about his calling? But He did not. Instead, God waited for three days and then He sent Ananias to accomplish both tasks. Why? Primarily, it was to humble Saul. Saul was a very proud man. He had reasons to boast. He regarded himself as a Hebrew of Hebrews. Saul had a brilliant mind and he was trained under Gamaliel, who was the most prominent rabbi of his time. Theologically, he was formidable. His achievements were way ahead of his peers. By his own admission, he was zealous and in terms of legalistic zeal, faultless. The list goes on. But this “big” man was humiliated in His encounter with Jesus. What many consider to be a glorious encounter was a humbling experience for Saul. The heavenly light flashed around them but only Saul was struck to the ground. He got up only to grope frantically in darkness. Only a moment ago, he was moving with confident gait as he led a group of men toward Damascus. Now, he cut a pathetic figure and had to be led by hand into the city. For three days, his brilliant mind and pedigreed status were of no use to him as he desperately tried to figure out what had happened. God had chosen to entrust Saul with great revelations of the Gospel and to do great things for him. But God could not possibly use him if he were to remain unchanged in his prideful ways. The man needed a radical turnaround and God provided that jolt. This is God’s mercy and grace. Saul learned another lesson. He needed others. God used Ananias to reveal His plan for Saul’s life. With his superior intellect and capabilities, Saul had always been self-assured and self-sufficient. He always thought he knew what God wanted him to do and where God wanted him to go. It all changed that day. He got to know God’s will through a third party. Does God speak to us directly? Of course He does. But frequently, He speaks to us through others. Discerning God’s voice can be tricky sometimes. I am not too worried about demons misleading Christians. Rather, I am more concerned with mistaking our own desire to be God’s voice. The human heart is deceitful. We hear what we want to hear. The carnal motivation of our heart often masquerades as the voice of God. So, when making important decisions, it is wise to ask other believers, especially your leaders, to pray along with you. They could help you to discern and confirm what God is saying. Unfortunately, some people choose not to use this privilege out of pride. Many miss the will of God as a result. Just imagine what would happen if Saul had ignored Ananias? Pastors Les & Adeline Chua
Posted on: Wed, 04 Jun 2014 09:01:50 +0000
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