Opening blind eyes

Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptised.  Acts 9: 18

Saul was on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus when Jesus dramatically met with him and stopped his murderous assignment against the believers. Jesus told him to go into Damascus to wait for his next instructions and for 3 days though his eyes were open, he was blind.  For three days Saul was utterly dependent on others for everything and utterly dependent on God to heal him and restore his sight. He needed more than just physical eyes healed though, he also needed the eyes of his heart opened.

Paul’s conversion is a wonderful picture of our conversions as well. We may not have encountered Jesus in quite such a dramatic way as Paul but we were just as blind and needed God to open our eyes to him.

Before I was saved, I was struggling to understand why Jesus had to die on the cross for us. I just couldn’t understand what had happened. A friend said to me as I was struggling to get to grips with it, he died because you deserved to die. They said it in an ‘isn’t it obvious’ tone of voice but for me it was a defining moment. It was as if my eyes had been opened. The lights came on, the tumblers in the lock fell and the door opened.  It was revelatory for me no matter how obvious it was for others.

When Paul’s physical sight was restored, he was a changed man. We know from Philippians 3: 4 - 6 that before the Damascus road experience, despite his intensive training as a Pharisee, steeped in the law, he was completely blind to Jesus and his saving grace. He knew all about the Messiah but he didn’t know the Messiah till that moment on the Damascus road. However once his spiritual eyes were open as well as his physical eyes, Paul has given the Church the greatest insights into Jesus, his saving faith and the life of the believer and the church than anyone other than Jesus himself.

We all need revelation day by day, not just as a once off to be saved. We need revelation to understand the Bible and apply it to our lives. Today let’s ask Jesus for revelation, to open our eyes to him in increasing measure so we may know him better and understand his ways for our lives. We may not be Paul but we can encourage others with the revelation God has given us and strengthen those around us with Godly insights.