Saturday, May 5, 2018

Blessed to Suffer.


Act 9:19  And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. 

Paul hadn't eaten in three days and because he hadn't eaten he was weak. I know from watching a show on television where the people are trying to survive three weeks in the wild one of the things they portray (whether true or sensationalize, I don’t know) is how quickly hunger sets in when there is absolutely no food at all provided for them. The first day you don't hear too much, but by the third day they are usually feeling it quite a bit. They are weak, their thinking is affected, their emotional state is disturbed and they are quickly thinking about really having to find a food source fast. They get caught up in a conundrum because of their weakened state it is harder for them to hunt for something to eat. Yet, being a television show and all they manage. The point I'm going on about is the truth behind being weak after three days of not eating. Being ill and not being able to eat because of that illness isn't quite the same as being completely healthy and not able to eat by choice or situation. Do we imagine Paul was completely healthy though lacking in eyesight those three days? Nothing says otherwise. Paul chose not to eat and drink, there was food and drink in the home available to him. He was in prayer, in mediation, sleeping, waking, making his human necessities as such. No, we don’t like to think about those things, they're somehow undignified and don't bear mentioning as a rule, but if we're going to imagine Paul for those three days it warrants thinking about. Paul was not bed ridden, he was not in a coma, he hadn't been paralyzed. Being blinded is a shock as anyone who has had the experience of being temporary (or permanently) blinded may attest to, I'm not among those, but some of you may be. I can only imagine the shock of having my sight taken from me. I have been in situations - hospitalized and unable to get out of bed for three days- but truthfully those days are and were a blur of trauma so I don't know how my necessities were taken care of, most likely I was catharized and tended to by a nurse, or aide. Why am I discussing this? Because all of this makes us human, and humanizes those we are reading about. Paul was most likely helped by those in that household,  though how he got to that particular household I don't know. He was the chief agitator of Christ followers, the head persecutor on his way to that very city to hunt down the Christians. Surely his fellow soldiers in the cause who had journeyed with him and had watched as he fell to the ground -

Act 9:7  And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 
Act 9:8  And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 

- they saw what happened, but did not see Jesus as Paul saw Him. They heard a voice and watched as Saul( Paul) rose up from where he'd fallen. They watched his eyes opened and witnessed the scales covering them, blinding him. They grabbed up his hands and brought him into the city.  How they chose the street called, Straight, and the home of Judas to place Paul in I don't know, we aren't told. He wasn’t put in an empty house to fend for himself though. He was tended to as much as he needed tending without eating or drinking. For three days Paul's whole world was about what had happened to him, the miracle that had occurred in his life. He was ready to work for God once more…


Act 9:18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. 
Act 9:19  And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

Before he took any food or drink, Paul rose up and was baptized. His spiritual experience, His conversion was completed with his baptism and now he could think of his physical needs. Spiritual needs met first and foremost and then…food.

When he'd eaten he was restored, no longer weak from hunger and thirst, his body was revived. After this physical revival he was stayed with the disciples of Christ for days (how many, I don't know) but he stayed with them- learning from them. When they went into the synagogue and gave testimony, Paul preached Christ, that Christ WAS INDEED the SON OF GOD!  Paul spoke to very blasphemy he'd accusd the Christ followers of doing. The words were now falling from his lips. The truth was spoken.

Act 9:20  And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 
Act 9:21  But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? 
Act 9:22  But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. 

ALL that heard Paul preaching Christ, the Son of God, were amazed. No wonder. Just as amazed as we are when some of the actors/actresses/singers/famous people who are notorious for their anti-Christian beliefs suddenly start preaching about Him.  It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

Paul was NOTORIOUS- he was WELL KNOWN as one who wanted to destroy all those who had anything to do with Christ. People KNEW, people like Ananias who and touched Paul and Paul received his sight again. The reputation Paul had wasn't some minor bit of knowledge, it was known and feared by the people choosing to be disciples of the risen Christ. They knew Paul was supposed to be destroy them as Paul had destroyed those in Jerusalem. They were supposed to be put in chains and taken back to Jerusalem as captives to face the Chief Priests, to be sentenced, to be killed, or imprisoned indefinitely, perhaps beaten, whipped, starved. They watched and listened to Paul and couldn't comprehend fully how he could be there preaching Christ as the Son of God, Christ as the risen Savior. He truly baffled the Jews there in Damascus.  Perhaps any of them that were on the fence of belief -so to speak- were fully convinced of the Savior's love and salvation by actually witnessing the testimony of Paul's conversion, because truly ONLY the Savior could have wrought such a miracle! Taking the chief Christ hater and making him the chief Christ believer, supporter, what an amazing, spiritually powerful occurrence.

What a POWERFUL testimony when a lost sheep is found. People all around are amazed. Some are horrified in their amazement, despising the change. Others are joyfully amazed and praising God for the miracle of conversion.

Act 9:22  But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. 

He increased in strength.
He confounded the Damascus Jews.
He was proving that Christ was truly the Messiah, to many.

The witness for Christ that Saul (Paul) made was incredible!

The life he was called to endure was going to be severely hard to live. He wasn't tapped on the shoulder by Christ and anointed with happiness ever after, pain-free living for his future. He was going to be a Christ follower and he would suffered exceeding hardship…. So I ask for the hundredth time, why do we think we should have a hardship free life when we are Christ followers? Why?

Listening to this song right now…

Blessings- (Laura Story)

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not,
This is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

From <https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/laurastory/blessings.html>



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