The encounter of Saul
1 – “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 – And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 – And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 – And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 – And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 – And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
7 – And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
8 – And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.” (Acts chapter 9 verses 1 to 8)
He lived this far walking against the same purpose he was created to live
Saul was a zealous fellow of his earthly father’s religion that he vowed nothing in this life can stop him from going about it with all enthusiasm. If there is a price an award to be given anyone who is diligent about the Jewish religion, he was on the right path to attract such honourable reward in the human sense. But little did he know that life is more than just practicing religion.
Though he was going about his father’s religion because he was born into it. He believed it is the right religion for him, but little did he know he was walking out of purpose. He lived this far walking against the same purpose he was created to live. He was fighting against the same people it was made to be his true brethren in the kingdom and on the earth. He went after destroying and killing the same people he was made to preserve.
It only takes someone who can see to be able to lead others effectively
Saul encountered Christ on his way to execute a major assignment, and that brought about a sudden turn around in his life and shaped his mentality. The light shines from heaven, and Saul been darkness could not comprehend it and he fell on the earth. What a strong man that was humbled. He was completely humbled when he fell on the ground. It became a serious matter when he found out he cannot see, though his physical eyes were opened.
One of the significance of his encounter was that his passion for his religion died at that very point. He never talked to his colleagues about the task they were eager to get accomplished. And I believe none of the men raised such issue up since they can see, he was blind. A blind man cannot lead. It only takes someone who can see to be able to lead others effectively. There was a complete change of plan that he did not even know what he was thinking at the moment. But he was conscious about his life at the moment.
He knew it was terrible for one to persecute the Lord
He submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ at that very moment. When he heard his name, he knew it was unusual for someone who someone has not encountered before to call one in such manner. Once he heard his name, he humbled himself saying, “Lord Who are you?”
4 – “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 – And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” (Acts chapter 9 verses 4 to 5)
You can see that his encounter with Christ Jesus made him tremble and was afraid that he yielded himself to the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ. That was his turning point of aligning to purpose. He knew it was terrible for one to persecute the Lord. That is why he did not hesitate in his demand to ask the Lord what He wants him to do. At that moment, he made a total surrender to the Lord. Of course he has no other option, because he was at the verge of life and death.
There is no one who has a genuine encounter with Christ whose life remain the same
It will interest everyone that the will of Saul died on that encounter that he picked up the Will of the Lord Jesus Christ. Saul died and Paul was resurrected. It is an experience with a great transformation in the life of someone who never believed in a the movement of God. But on his encounter with Christ, he aligned in the movement to propagate Christ and the gospel. And he lived for the rest of his life to champion the movement.
Though his physical eyes were opened but he could not see, but his spiritual eyes were opened and he could see. He was seeing mystery and that helped to build his conviction about Christ and the works He has called him to do. There is no one who has a genuine encounter with Christ whose life remain the same. There is an evidence about the whole process which aligns one into the path of purpose discovery and its fulfillment.
Conclusion:
The whole scenario changed the perception of Paul coming to discover true purpose through having an encounter with Christ Jesus. He discovered all the while he was zealous about religion, he did it out of blindness. But now his eyes were opened to the true meaning of life and living. His zeal of going about fulfilling responsibility never changed, he channeled such zeal in the hunger to know God through Jesus Christ and to perfect His Will on earth.
