Day 165 Bible Readings – Acts 9: 3-9 (ESV)

2 Samuel 22, 2 Samuel 23: 1-7, Acts 9: 1-31, Psalm 89: 30-37

Acts 9: 3-9 (ESV)

“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

Verses 3 through 9 from Acts 9 recounts the story of Saul being confronted by Christ on the road to Damascus. It must have been a frightening experience for Saul when he heard the voice saying it was Jesus, since he was persecuting followers of Christ. Saul might have dismissed it as a hallucination because no one saw or heard the voice of Christ except him, but then he had physical evidence of what happened by his blindness. I’ve always wondered why Saul didn’t ask for a doctor right away for his blindness. Perhaps he did, but it is not recorded in Acts 9. I like the symmetry of Paul not eating for three (3) days as a kind of death, like Jesus staying in the tomb for three (3) days before his resurrection. Paul had three (3) days to think about what was happening to him, and if it was really Christ who had spoken to him.

Since Paul had been a persecutor of Jesus’ followers, he needed a “supernatural” experience for his conversion. I remember a therapist telling me that some people can get a revelation through reading a greeting card; that was not Paul’s way. He needed something more. Faith has always been a part of my life, and I often wonder how my conversion experience would have happened. I think that God appears in someone’s life when they need to be converted in whatever way is needed for that person to believe in him. Whatever way it happens, the effect afterwards will be the same. We will be eager to experience more of God.