And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul why persecutest thou Me? And he said, Who art Thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus Whom Thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. ACTS 9:4-5
REFLECTION:
In this particular chapter Luke’s preluded the blinding exit of one the major characters in Act’s book, Stephen and guillotined the curtain for the protagonist, Saul/Paul. No doubt he staged or originated the stoning of the former ( “…and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.” Acts 7:58). The “serial” hatred and wickedness against the saints and yet he never satisfied ravaging church and drag men and women into shame and heartless executions as he “breathed” into it by asking letters from the high priest to the synagogues (Damascus) to further pursue his homicidal spree espionage. Comparatively, Ananias, Jonas and Moses were those few who were incapacitated as God called and face their worst enemy they could imagine, that huge question mark heavily laden in their head and the degree of fear and hesitancy has too inflicted the very nature of me. “kick against the pricks” refers to thorns or spikes that the cattle would ram their legs into if they kicked at the farmer behind them holding the plow. Saul had fought against his conscience in so doing. Saul falls captive here to the Lordship of Christ and begins to experience his salvation.When Saul persecuted the Church of Christ, he persecuted Christ, for Christ is in such intimate union with His people that they are His body, He their head. On his way to Damascus, I stumble on the conviction that his every effort to prove his prestige and worth as the member and leader of the distinguished Jewish council and religion has overshadowed and thwarted by the blazing glory of God’s sovereign grace and glory. Paul’s will to accomplish evil has turned out to be the overflowing goodness especially to the “Gentiles” as salvation has granted and proclaimed through Christ Jesus.
PRAYER:
Almighty Father, through Thy Begotten Son, Lord Jesus’ Christ Our High Priest sacrificed for us to pass through the torn veil, we cry out unto Thee, Oh Abba Father. We have seen enough bloodshed and nameless forms of persecutions and sufferings highlighted with this current two militant countries where used to be part, help us Father to transfixed our gaze unto Thy countenance where Thy grace and mercy aboundeth. Hear out Thy children’s voice to live NOT OF this fallen world and hold us fast when we feel our faith is failing. Lord, precious in Thine sight is the death of Thy saints. And yet, thou allow persecution against Thy people whom Thou love all over the world. The persecutors sin and violate their own consciences, but thou use persecution to spread the faith as powerful testimonies for Thou emerge in the midst. We pray for the persecuted Church and yet praise Thee for what Thou art doing through even that. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.
