Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard to kick against the goads”. So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do”. And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Acts 9.1-9 (NKJV)

Saul’s pursuit in persecuting the believers did not start upon his request to extend his work to the Church at Damascus. He was already at it and the knowledge of his deeds has already spread throughout the Jerusalem that believers were aware of him and began to take cover. It was recorded that “the witness laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul” (Acts 7.58). The people who killed Stephen acted under the supervision of Saul.

But Saul wanted to extend his persecution to other parts of the country, and Damascus in particular, still breathing threats and murder. It was on this journey to Damascus that he encountered the Lord Jesus. Anyone who has not met the Lord would think that what they are doing Him a favour or obeying His commands.

It takes an encounter to bring us to our knees, knowing that we have laboured where we have not been sent. The Lord showed Saul (whom the writer of the book of Acts, later referred to as Paul) how he has kicked against the goads when he resisted Him. Once Saul saw the light and met Jesus he asked, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”

Many have not met the light that’s why they have never asked “what shall this man do, Lord?” There is still the workings of the flesh in them. They claim to have met the light but by their actions you would know that this brother or sister needs a blow from the Lord that will render him/her helpless of the self.

The mark of anyone who has met the light would be to ask “what shall this man do, Lord?” The light exposes our deeds as it also brings us to the ground. The ground should be where many ought to still remain, not eager to rise until the light has taken its full course. Many who are quick to rise and eager to still see, not wanting to stay for many days without food nor drink are the ones who continue the mission of Damascus without a change of destination.

It is like having the theology in our head without a heart that is transformed. Saul, still on the ground asked “Lord, what do you want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him “Arise…” If the Lord has not told you to ‘Arise’ you dare not rise! He knows you and the work better than you think you do. Don’t be quick to rise, because the result will be that of a man who continues his way to Damascus.

Many brothers and sisters have not yet met the light that is why they continue their mission to Damascus. If they have, they will narrate how they met the light and how they forsook all to follow after the instruction that came from the experience of the ground. Before now, I was eager to do many things that I considered as legit and could be counted as a good course, but when I met the light, it struck me to the ground and all I could see were deeds done in the flesh, full of the self.

The light did not only expose the presence of self but also the absence of the Spirit. But all that changed because true Christianity brings an upside-down effect. You see things no longer henceforth from your perspective or that which the world presents to you but from the One who has called you. Brothers and sisters, if we must be relevant in God’s Kingdom, we must not only know how to forsake the mission of Damascus upon encountering the light but we must also just like Saul ask “what shall this man do, Lord?”

You can’t meet the light and then boast in the flesh. The light devours every pride in you, it makes you tremble and leaves you in awe. It teaches us the way of the ground. Even after the experience you still bear the mark upon you. When you see a brother who wants to follow the way of Saul you become quick to warn him of his doings. The light left Saul “trembling and astonished” (vs 6). But we saw in the earlier verse “Saul, still breathing threats and murder” (vs 1).

If we have not met the light, we can boast and be prideful of many things but once we are left face to face with the light, we are left awestruck, with our mouth closed, not eager anymore to utter anything before the Lord or His people. Our only concern would then be to know what He would have us do. Because our assignment has never been what we can do for God but rather what can God do through us, and we can only learn this lesson upon meeting the light.

After the meeting of Saul and brother Ananias, his sight was restored and he got filled with the Holy Spirit, we saw that he had learned the lesson of the ground “immediately he preached the Christ in the Synagogues, that He is the Son of God” (vs 20). He abandoned the mission of Damascus to take up another mission, a much higher and glorious one.

We could testify that this brother learned the lesson, for his letters are evidence. Brothers and sisters, we may not have walked the way of Saul before the encounter with Jesus, but if we claim to have met the light and still hold on to our ambitions, our dreams and aspirations before we come to know the Lord, then we need another light, for that which we have received did not take its full course in us. The mark of anyone who has met the light is that they preach Christ. I pray God opens your eyes to see how relevant you are in His work on earth and embrace it with the whole of your heart.