When God Breaks Someone 6“But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.9And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. —Acts 9:6-9 In hot pursuit of Christians, Saul found himself the target of a divine manhunt. God found him and broke him. Jesus got Saul’s attention in such a way that afterwards he was never able to give attention to anything else. The old Saul was stopped, crushed, raised, and redirected. “But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” Just like that. “I’ve got a new agenda for you, Saul. You’ve been under enemy control; I’m about to set you on a course that will make your previous pursuits look like a walk in the park. “ “Saul rose from the ground(as Christ had instructed him), and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing” (v.8). Interesting. He’s been humbled, hasn’t he? His world has been turned upside down. He’s helpless.“So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus” (v.8). He had been upright, but now he’s kneeling. He had been leading and seeing, but now he was being led because his spiritual blindness is gone. God has humbled him. The last thing he had seen was a glorious figure who had confronted him with such a realization of his own smallness that he was overwhelmed. He had been consumed by the drive to seize others, but now he’s been seized by the very One he had been persecuting. He was going to break the sincerity of others, but now he’s been sincerely broken. “And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank” (v.9). When God takes away a person’s blindness, He often does it through great humility. All of us know people we long to see saved; but all around us are other people who God is doing that to them now. They’re already on their knees, humbled on the road. Look for them today. Maybe you work with them or they live on your street. That’s the person ripe to the Gospel. Be ready to share with them the hope you have in Christ. Be the fellow traveler who gives them Jesus’ word, “Rise,” and walk with them into new faith in Christ. —James MacDonald Journal · Why do I think it’s a crucial part of my salvation experience that God must “break” me? · How has He done that in my life? Prayer - Heavenly Father, like a gentle surgeon who must break a leg that has healed incorrectly, or remove a tumor that threatens life, or administer strong medicine that kills a ravaging disease, You are the great physician. As You did with Saul, You have approached my life with Your healing touch that feels so often like pain, discomfort, and loss. You always know what’s best and are willing to do it for us, even when our instinct is to resist Your remedy. Help me to listen closely each time You lean into me after a painful episode of healing and say, “Rise.” In Jesus’ name, Amen
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 19:50:04 +0000
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