by Bryony Wood
Meanwhile Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them prisoners to Jerusalem. 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 ‘Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?'
Saul was a zealous Pharisee determined to protect Jewish traditions from the growing network of believers who considered the risen Jesus to be the promised Messiah. Those believers were known as followers of ‘The Way' and Saul's passion was to stamp them out. Driven by this, he planned to visit Damascus some 175 miles northeast of Jerusalem to capture more of these so-called blasphemers.
Powerful testimonies
Saul had witnessed the faith of these first Christians in Jerusalem including overseeing the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. I suspect he must have been affected by such powerful testimonies; perhaps that's why he immediately recognised it was God speaking through that blinding light on the road to Damascus. His companions heard a sound and saw Saul fall to the ground but they couldn't understand what was being said. Sometimes witnessing a miracle isn't enough, we have to experience it to fully understand what God is doing.
When he then asked, ‘who are you Lord,' he had the confirmation that this was indeed Jesus whom he had been persecuting. As he realised this, he was ready to do what the Lord wanted and his life changed completely.
Saul, blinded by this divine light was led into Damascus to a house in Straight Street. Here he was visited by a Christian called Ananias who'd had a vision from God reassuring him that Saul was there in peace. Can you imagine the astonishment of the Christian community as they heard this news? The man who had persecuted so many, now chosen by God to take the gospel to the gentiles! It's not surprising that many were suspicions of Saul until it became clear that he really had repented. Ananias prayed for Saul and not only was his eyesight restored but he was filled with the Holy Spirit and baptised.
Never beyond God's mercy
Saul's conversion was dramatic and he went on to be a key leader in the early church and under his new name of Paul he wrote the majority of the New Testament. He is proof that no one, no matter what they have done, is beyond God's love and mercy.
Although most of us have less dramatic accounts of how we became Christians, our testimonies are always extraordinary examples of God's grace. Saul became Paul because of his devotion to Jesus Christ and his willingness to continue to learn more about the truth of the gospel. It's always good to hear stories of ‘conversion' but perhaps even better to hear how God continues to change lives everyday after we've found faith in him.
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