Read: Acts 9:1-20
Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. (v. 3)
Saul went on his way. His way was to power up with his fine legal mind, approach Damascus, and do a lot of damage to “the Way,” as the early Christian movement was known. Backed by the power of the Jewish authorities, this one man on his way was a force to be reckoned with, leaving rubble in his wake.
Lots of young people go their own way, and I was no exception. At the heart of my rebellion was a distrust of God. Is God really loving? Is God really good?
Saul of Tarsus was in rebellion against a God of love and compassion too. There was no room in his mind or heart for Jesus of Nazareth and his stories of how God loved and longed to show compassion to all those who didn’t belong—the prodigals, the leprous, the broken, the demon-possessed. And that’s not all—this Jesus called the great legal minds of the church “whitewashed tombs.” In a blinding rage, Saul sought to stamp out people who believed that Jesus was God in the flesh.
But blinded by the Light of the World, he became ready to listen. What he heard broke him of his way, turned him around, and set him on a path that changed history. That’s repentance in a nutshell. I’ve been pretty stubborn and broken too, but light from heaven has changed all that. —Amy Clemens
As you pray, give thanks for light from heaven that’s turned you from your way to The Way.
About the Author
With a bachelors in journalism from Texas Tech University and a masters from Western Theological Seminary, Amy Clemens enjoys all things writing, particularly about the life of faith. She is blessed with a family that includes husband Fred, five children, and five grandchildren.
Amy has just published her first book, "Walking When You'd Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall," which weaves her journey from childhood abuse toward healing and spiritual growth with a practical theology for the big story of God. You can find out more about the book and author at walkingwhenyoudratherfly.com.
