More than a Damascus Road Experience

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Scripture

But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”
(Acts 23:11 NASB)

 

Observation


Throughout this chapter in Acts we have insight into Paul's different encounters with Jesus Christ. Yes, he first meets him on the road to Damascus, but that is not the only time. Several times Jesus continues to come to Paul, leading him and giving him direction in life. In this final encounter we see that Jesus comes right to him in prison and speaks to him. Paul has no doubt about what he is to do, for Jesus has given him instructions as to what lies ahead.

 

Application


I think that many of us seek a Damascus Road type of experience. We want Jesus to blind us with a light and speak to us audibly. However, for many of us there will not be an experience like Paul's, and too often we focus on Paul's one encounter with Jesus. In truth that first encounter was just that -- a first encounter. That first encounter led to an entire life which was devoted to serving Jesus, and other encounters with Jesus later on. Usually those later encounters are forgotten in the story and we focus on the one big huge encounter at the very beginning. Too often we do the same thing and we assume there has to be this huge beginning to the relationship, and instead of faithfully following the Lord every day of our lives and opening our eyes to rather ordinary encounters with Jesus, we seek the BIG ones.

Jesus doesn't always come in the big encounters. Yes, he might come that way, but more than likely he comes to us in a small whisper, or the sweet breath of God blowing gently on our cheek and waking us up in the middle of the night to have a heart to heart conversation. The reality is that for Paul, and for us, our walk with the Lord is not about waiting for a Damascus Road experience, but about tuning into Jesus on a daily basis and recognizing him when he does speak to us. It is about a relationship of intimacy which does not need to be a blinding road-side experience.

 

Prayer


Lord, please help me to have eyes to see you in the ordinary events of my day and ears to hear your gentle words of leading and guiding. Amen.

Comments

  1. SusanOctober 25, 2012 at 6:18 AM

    Thanks for your words today. Today I needed a reminder to stay the course and reminder that it is through the daly walk that He will reveal his will in my life and the lives of others. :)

    ReplyDelete

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