After the martyrdom of Stephen, the Scriptures indicate that “there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they [the believers] were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1). The Bible also tells us that “they that were scattered went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). This persecution and consequent scattering became the catalyst for one of the great events in the history of Christianity, the conversion of Saul, whom we know as the Apostle Paul.
The Scriptures relate that “Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters [of authority] to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way [Christians]…he might bring them to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2). It was on the road to Damascus that Saul met the risen Lord Jesus Christ. “And…suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven…and the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest…and he [Saul] trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:3-6).
At that moment Jesus Christ became Paul’s Savior and Lord. This was manifest in Paul’s immediate obedience to Christ’s command. “And the Lord said unto him [Paul], Arise, and go into the city [Damascus], and it shall be told thee what thou must do” (Acts 9:6).
It is remarkable that even as Paul was no doubt eager to do whatever the Lord commanded, all that Jesus said was “go into the city.” It is as though the Lord said, “Paul, take this first step and the next step will be revealed once you’ve done that.”
Often, in our lives, we want the Lord to reveal to us more than the path to follow, but where the path will lead. Yet, as he did with Paul, he says to us “take the next step and you will see better from there.” This is a hard thing for us to do. Several years ago my wife and I took a vacation that traversed the state of Georgia from northeast to southwest visiting monuments of the Civil War. I drove and she provided the directions. She had plotted the itinerary and was following a prescribed path. As you might guess, the roads we took to the monuments were often unpaved and little traveled. My job was simply to follow the road I was on until she told me it was time to make a turn. She followed the itinerary on the GPS and I just kept driving. I never had to think far ahead. I trusted her directions.
So it is with our Christian journey. Christ leads us day by day. We really do not need to know where we are going. We simply need to know and trust his leading. Dr. Bob Jones, Senior, is known to have said “The right road leads out at the right place.” Following the Lord today is the right road and he will lead us out in the right place tomorrow. As the Psalmist learned, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Psalm 37:23). Notice he said “steps” and that is how we travel, one step at a time.
From the Chaplain 