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.
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?
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
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