The Road to Destiny

Why would God save and use a person such as Saul? Only God knew that Saul had a unique ordained destiny. From man’s vantage point, Saul was treacherous, someone who made a living by throwing Christians in prison. He was certainly a person to be avoided. From God’s vantage point, though, he was chosen for a greater destiny - after a personal encounter with the risen Jesus. Meeting the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus was a pivotal turning point in Saul’s life, leaving him in shock, blind, speechless, and unable to eat or drink for three days.

Ananias Does the Hard Thing

Meanwhile, a disciple named Ananias had a vision from God. This vision gave the spiritual GPS coordinates of the blind, speechless, in shock, and now praying, Saul. Of course, Ananias felt compelled to remind God of Saul’s treacherous history; after all, it made no earthly sense for God to use such a man. Nevertheless, Ananias would discover that God’s ways are not our ways. Indeed, God would compel him to go to Saul and pray to restore his sight.

But the Lord said unto [Ananias], Go thy way: for he [Saul] is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. Acts 9:15-16

Ananias obeyed God and prayed for “Brother Saul,” who received new sight immediately and was filled with the Holy Ghost. After the scales fell from Saul’s eyes, he was baptized. Being blinded, healed, converted, baptized, and then filled with the Holy Ghost would be miracle enough, but God did not stop there. After eating and staying with the disciples in Damascus for a few days, Saul “preached Christ in the synagogues.”

Who Wrote 13 Books of the Bible?

Still, the account of Saul’s life becomes even more incredible. Saul, using his Roman name “Paul,” would also preach Jesus to the Gentiles, writing 13 books of the Bible from his letters to the churches in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, and other cities. Amazingly, this former persecutor would become known as Apostle Paul and write epistles that would make up 28% of the New Testament.

Even the disciples would argue that Saul would be the most unlikely candidate to contribute to the Bible. Yet, God chose Saul because He knew that a life-changing encounter with Jesus would convert the notorious persecutor into a champion of the gospel. After his life-changing Damascus Road encounter, Saul was ready and willing to be used by God. Like Sauk, many of us had a B.C. (before Christ) and A.D. (after Christ) way of living.