The old is gone

Amanda MacQuarrie September 02, 2017 0 0

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Acts 9: 1-19

1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ 5 He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ 7 The men who were travelling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ He answered, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ 11 The Lord said to him, ‘Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.’ 13 But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.’ 15 But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; 16 I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’ 17 So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul, on his way to imprison early Christians, meets the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, and more than just his name is changed in the encounter. Paul gives his life to Christ and goes on to become one of the Apostles, taking the good news of Christ’s resurrection to the Gentiles.

Augustine recounts his moment of conversion, a moment where all of his struggles with his thoughts and desires, with his losses and loves falls away and where all of his struggles for answers and his hunger and thirst are quenched…. “and being then admonished to return to myself, I entered even into my inward self, Thou being my guide: and able I was, for Thou wert become my Helper. And I entered and beheld with the eye of my soul (such as it was) above the same eye of my soul, above my mind, the Light unchangeable. … but after Thou hadst soothed my head, unknown to me, and closed mine eyes that they should not behold vanity, I ceased somewhat of my former self, and my frenzy was lulled to sleep; I awoke in Thee, and saw Thee infinite, but in another way, and this sight was not derived from the flesh. … Thou hast broken my bonds in sunder.”

Augustine’s is a story of coming to faith, slowly and at times painfully… but eventually, and when he does it is with a 180° turn. His old life has gone and he embraces his new life in Christ, even leaving behind his old life (and women) to enter into the priesthood.

Nothing is impossible with God. And no one is outside the reaches of God’s grace and love and mercy. No one!

Lord,

Thank you that your saving mission is for all,

Even me,

A sinner.

Thank you for your love, your mercy, and your grace,

And for the new life that you offer.

Give me courage to walk where you lead,

And trust enough to follow where you call.

Today and all of my tomorrows,

Amen.