Acts 9:1-20
Well, it certainly was dramatic. Can you imagine what happened on that
And he was also exhaling them. Saul believed that the people of the Way were an affront to God and to the people of God. He was set out to quench their movement, and he didn’t seem to care who he harmed in the process.
I wonder what Saul and his companions were talking about on that road. . . I imagine that the men who came with him were inhaling and exhaling all kinds of anger on that day as well. Maybe they were talking about the rage they felt within them. Maybe they were silent, each with determination. Or maybe they were having casual conversation, talking about daily life or family. Then suddenly, everything changed.
Suddenly, everything changed. And it certainly was dramatic, wasn’t it? Saul experienced light, flashing and dancing all about him. The threats and murder within him must have melted into fear and confusion for himself and the others who were with him. And then, there was a voice – a voice that would change everything. A question becomes personal: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Even before he is aware of the identity behind the voice, Saul recognizes holiness. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Jesus, the Lord, is so with us, so with humanity, that when we are persecuted, and when we are persecuting others, Jesus is being persecuted. Saul didn’t have a chance to justify himself, or even to plead for forgiveness. Already Saul was elected, chosen, and set apart for the work of Christ. Jesus tells him to go into the city where he will be told what to do. He temporarily loses his vision, but he is about to gain a new way of seeing God, the world, and himself. Wow, a dramatic turn around.
And this conversion was a game changer. Saul was on his way toward becoming Paul, one beloved and called by God. We’re never told in scripture why, when, or how Saul’s name is changed to Paul, but we can certainly see that Saul’s character, heart, and sense of mission are wildly changed. Saul becomes Paul, sent to bear Christ’s name before Gentiles, outsiders, kings, and the people of
And it really was quite a game changer, wasn’t it? Paul became a missionary, organizing and nurturing churches in far regions of the world, places vastly far away from where he grew up, especially in the first century, when people couldn’t simply learn about
But beyond the dramatic and broad sweeping aspects of this story, what about some of the more subtle effects? God works between the lines too, between the major milestones, between the major turn-arounds of our lives.
Poor Ananias. Can you imagine? Ananias hears the call of Christ to do something absolutely illogical. And it wasn’t just illogical. It was potentially dangerous. Saul had a reputation. Ananias realized what the consequences of his actions might be. Going to Saul, he was risking his future, his freedom, his safety. And he was risking the future, freedom, and safety of his Christian community as well.
And yes, in addition to being dangerous, this action was illogical. “Saul? Wait a minute. Saul? You want me to go and seek the man who has been seeking to kill us?!? And then you want me to identify myself as your follower and heal him? You want me to trust him? You want me to trust his words and intentions? You want me set him free, and simply trust that he is who you’ve named him to be?”
This call was dangerous and illogical enough for Ananias to question Jesus. But Jesus tells Ananias that he has visions larger and more incredible than Ananias can possibly wrap his mind around. He follows the call. He seeks out his enemy to heal him and send him in the right direction.
You know, it appears that sometimes, our conversions are connected. What I mean by that is that sometimes when others have had a ‘turn-around’ moment, we too are sent in another direction. We live in relationship. Our healing is bound up in the healing of others. Our conversions – our directions, our turn-around moments – are bound up in the conversions of others.
So Ananias is converted too. He seeks out Saul in the house of Judas, and he obeys. And I wonder if he too had a change of heart on that road. Did you notice the first thing Ananias says to the man who has been his enemy? Did you notice the first words out of his mouth?
“Brother Saul.” He addresses his former enemy as his brother. Saul’s conversion on the Road to
And that leads to a question for us. We don’t see flashing light and audibly hear the voice of God on a regular basis. But because we believe in a Triune God who works intimately and immanently within our lives, we can believe that God is turning us around, sending us in new directions all the time. Here’s the question: How is God turning you around these days, and what directions are being envisioned for you to follow? And how is God turning us around as a community these days, and what directions are being envisioned for us to follow?
Sometimes, seemingly insignificant moments can send us in profoundly significant directions. Has that ever happened for you?
When I was 14 years old, I sat in a bright orange chair at a table I frequented five days a week. It was a pretty mundane place for me. I was sitting in the Floyd Central Junior/Senior High School cafeteria. And I was there with one of my friends. I wonder what got us on the subject of handbells of all things, but that’s where our conversation went. And she told me something kind of funny, “I’m in this handbell choir at my church, and it’s so hard. I have too many handbells to play!” For those of you who have ever played handbells, she was specifically having trouble playing Dflat 5, D5, Eflat 5, and E5. She must have been playing a piece with lots of key changes. And so, I came up with an idea that seemed somewhat random, “Well, can I help you? Could I maybe join your handbell choir?” She told me she would ask, and one week later, the answer was yes!
And so, through a seemingly insignificant conversation about handbells of all things, my life was about to move in an entirely different direction. My friend had introduced me to St. John United Presbyterian Church in
I went to the handbell choir, and because youth group met downstairs after our rehearsal, I just joined that too. And the youth group was going on a mission trip to
But as I grew up in that congregation, I learned a deep sense of faith. I learned the challenges of faith. And I met a congregation of people who changed my life.
I suppose that in some ways, my experience of love at that church was the flashing light and holy voice I needed, because my experience there has sent me in more positive directions than I could have anticipated. It taught me how to be in community, it taught me how to be vulnerable, it sent me in the direction of music school, and the direction of seminary, and the direction to this church and this community, which has been another flashing light and holy voice of itself. And all of this came because of a goofy, insignificant conversation about handbells in a junior high cafeteria of all places!
So what about you? What insignificant things have led to significant directions in your life? Where have you had a turn-around moment? And where do you sense God is calling you now?
-Renée Roederer
No comments:
Post a Comment