He is The Cause

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

HE IS THE CAUSE

Acts 9:1-9

9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"  5 "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6 "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."  7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

NIV

Saul had no chance against the power of the Lord. Although he was filled with hatred and breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples, God had a plan for his life. As Saul was on his way to Damascus to arrest as many people as he could who belonged to the way, the Lord intervened with a supernatural flash of light that surrounded him. This is the beginning of Saul's conversion to Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. What we learn from this narrative is twofold. First, the Lord is the one who initiates our conversion from sinner to saint, or an unbeliever to a believer. If we think it was our choice alone, we would be mistaken. Although we do have a choice, it is the Lord's choice to call us. How would we know what our choices were, to remain a condemned sinner, or to repent and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, unless the Lord intervened in our lives somehow? If Jesus had not fallen upon Saul in such a dramatic way, would Saul ever have changed from persecuting the church to being part of the church? It is doubtful, and that is our story as well. We cannot believe we made the choice to follow Jesus just out of the blue, on our own accord, without a single movement of the Lord toward us. We know some might think they have been Christians from their earliest memories because their parents were Christians, but how can we be a believer without any effects from the Lord? We know that children raised in a believing home go on to walk their own paths in life. No, in order to be a true believer in Jesus, we must have some intervention in our lives by Him. It could be a vision, a miracle,  a bright light, a voice, a friend, a stranger, or even a revelation from his word, but our eyes must be opened, our hearts must be softened, and we must be receptive to the truth. We know about hard hearts, closed ears and eyes, and rejection of the gospel message. How can our hearts, ears, and eyes be opened unless Jesus intervenes? He changed Saul through an overwhelming series of events. He has changed us, and continues to do so, through his overwhelming presence. Without Jesus intervening in our lives, we would be lost forever. Thank you, Lord, for causing us to see you. Thank you for being the cause.