Seeing The Light
As I looked through last Sunday’s worship bulletin, I noticed that January 25 is designated by the church as the day to commemorate the Conversion of Paul. I’ve been fascinated by this story since hearing it in Sunday School as a grade schooler. It would have been exciting and a little scary, it seemed to me, to have been in Saul/Paul’s situation. Then I began to wonder how the telling of this occurrence holds up in speaking to us in the present day. The Lutheran Study Bible provided both background and understanding. The Book of Acts, which provides us with an excellent history of the spread of the early church. describes the work of the apostles as they went about preaching, teaching and establishing congregations of new believers. We learn, also, of their courage in the face of persecution by those opposing their teachings. Government officials felt threatened by the concept that, first and foremost, people were accountable to God. The established church felt threatened by the promise of salvation and freedom from the strict requirements of Jewish law.
Into the midst of this conflict and unrest, Saul appears, a devout and educated Jew who was dedicated in his efforts to eradicate those he considered heretics. At the beginning of Chapter 9, Saul is in Jerusalem, and he asks the high priest for letters of authorization to the synagogues at Damascus, so he could arrest any Christians. He sets off with a few companions, and then the riveting story is told – the blinding light, the voice asking, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” and then telling him, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Struck blind for three days, and probably in shock, Saul is then visited by Ananias, a leader among the Christians in Damascus. His sight is restored, and within a few days he is baptized and goes off to witness and proclaim Jesus in the synagogues. Most people would be skeptical of such an about-face, assuming this was a ruse to get inside the Christian communities so as to identify and arrest the members. But Saul, soon called Paul, never wavered in his dedication to spreading the Gospel of Christ, and enduring persecution and imprisonment, he continued to write and encourage others. His letters, which are included in our New Testament, have enlightened and inspired Christians from ancient times to the present.
So how does this story resonate with us today? It’s challenging to comprehend how someone can be so profoundly affected that he completely changes his whole belief system. But this is how we learn that God’s power can turn his fiercest opponent into his greatest advocate. Saul was determined to eliminate this threat to established religion, and yet God turned all that energy and ability toward spreading the Gospel. God will lead (or push!) us in the direction he wants us to take, and with open hearts and minds, trusting in him, we will fulfill his purpose. This may be an old story, but it’s most certainly not out of date!
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers