17 November ACTS 9
Open the eyes of my heart Lord
Saul was breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, and decided to go down to Damascus to see if he could find incriminating evidence to arrest the Christians there. But God had other plans for him: Acts 9:3-4(NIV) As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
After this incident, God spoke to a believer named Ananias, asking him to find Saul, lay hands on him, and restore his sight. Ananias was reluctant to do so at first, as he knew Saul’s history of persecuting Christians. However, God urged him, saying: Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.
Acts 9:15(NLT) But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
The sad thing is that Paul did not sense that he was lost. The opposite! He saw himself as standing firmly within the truth, privilege, and blessing of being an Israelite. He needed divine intervention!
Most people today don’t see themselves as being lost; therefore, they see no need to be ‘found’ by the gospel. But the reality of the biblical message, that dates to the very beginning of humanity, is that many people are lost. They are dead in trespasses and sins. There is no hope, no life, no spark, nothing capable of response. It is darkness; they are spiritually blind. And it is the grace of God, in the truth of the resurrection of Christ that brings life … just as it did for Paul.
Salvation is a work of God, from start to finish. Like Paul’s blindness, there may have been circumstances in our lives that opened us up to hearing and receiving the gospel, but even those events and our warming hearts to truth, were the results of God’s working.
Paul’s conversion is an amazing story, illustrating how nothing is too hard for God. He knows who He wants to call, He knows to get their attention, and He can do it anytime, anywhere.
Ask Jesus to open the eyes of your heart, by simply surrendering to God’s power and love, and responding in obedience to His calling for your life.
I want to conclude with a song of Michael W Smith, Open the eyes of my heart: Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart. I want to see You. I want to see You. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart. I want to see You. I want to see You. To see You high and lifted up. Shinin' in the light of Your glory. Pour out Your power and love. As we sing holy, holy, holy.
2 Corinthians 3:16(TPT) But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see.