A Life Changing Journey

“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?’ …Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.”
Acts 9:3-4, 8

Sorry, no old country song references this week. We all travel some and I reckon some of us travel more than others. Then, of course our whole of life is a journey from birth to death and into eternity. Every once in a while a trip becomes a life changing journey. That certainly was the case for Saul.

Saul was a Pharisee - in other words he was an “I’m better than you, let’s squash this whole Jesus movement, Jewish leader. The kind of guy Jesus liked to irritate. After witnessing the stoning of Stephen Saul was even more motivated to punish those who had aligned their lives with Jesus. With the proper documents in hand he and his posse hit the Damascus road ready to ruin the lives of believers in the city of Damascus. Only Saul and his men ran into a wall of light that was the risen Christ and that changed everything.

Saul’s life was forever changed from that moment on. Saul changed from prosecutor to preacher, from self righteous Pharisee to sold out follower of Christ. Saul who had once taken pleasure in hunting the followers of “the Way” was now on the Pharisee’s most wanted list. His return to Jerusalem on the same Damascus road was much different than what he had expected it to be. 

Saul’s life changing journey to Damascus would eventually result in a new name - Paul and a whole new purpose for his life. That one journey would lead to other life changing travels, travels that would continue to change Paul, would change the lives of his traveling companions and would change the lives of the people they encountered. Saul’s life changing Damascus trip would lead to Paul’s audiences with Governors and Kings. The journey would lead him ultimately to an eternity in the presence of the very One he had once hated but now loved with every fiber of his being.

Every day of this life is potentially life changing. Be open to the journey that Lord has laid out before you, follow where he leads; let Him change you and one day you will find yourself in the presence of the King of Kings for all of eternity.

A Prayer
Father - give us the courage to let You take us on a life changing journey. We know there may be moments of darkness and pain, but we also know that You will be ever present as we journey to our eternity with you. Send others to travel with us, to encourage us on our way and help us to be of encouragement to others. In the name Jesus, who has laid out the journey, we pray - Amen.