THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 433

Saul continued his journey breathing out threats and slaughter against any and all who believed in Jesus. Saul born into religious captivity and trained in the then religious traditions of his time. In fact, one could say Saul graduated with honours.

But Saul could have been you or I believing in the religious traditions of men rather than the Word. If Saul were I, I definitely would want to be rescued from my darkness. In Saul's case, the so called religious light that he adhered to was complete darkness. As the scriptures state, if the religious light that is in a person is actually darkness, how dark can that darkness be? Further, we read that religious fanatics compassed land and sea in the hope of making one convert. Therefore, the persons are entrapped in their religious web -- unfortunately -- become two-fold more a child of hell than what he or she had previously been because of the religious zeal that does not align with the scriptures.

Today, the atmosphere of religious and institutional traditions remains true to itself. Children brought up to be robots are encouraged to commit crimes ensuring them a direct pathway to their so called heaven to receive rewards of their god for their adherence to their stringent faith.

The good news in the scriptures is that Saul was suddenly engulfed in light. A light which was not the sunlight but much brighter than the sunlight. As a consequence, Saul drops to the ground totally blind. A voice from within the light is heard (many who accompanied Saul saw the light but heard no voice while others saw the light and also heard the voice). Saul cries out saying, "Who are you Lord?" A voice replies, "I am JESUS!"

The voice of the Lord JESUS addresses Saul saying, "Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the pricks." (pricks being your conscience) Saul enters the conversation saying, "Lord what is it that you want me to do?" To which question the Lord replies, "Saul go into the city and there you shall be told what you must do." The Lord did not tell Saul what he should do but rather the Lord simply directed Saul to the city where he would be told what he must do.

So Saul was led as a blind man into the city where he remained constantly in prayer. But it was no longer in ritualistic prayer. Instead, Saul instantaneously went from being the rooster on top of a religious manure pile where his commands were immediately executed to humility, having to depend on others as for his welfare.

During those three days, Saul must have reflected upon his life through self examination for the voice of the Lord JESUS had said to him, "Why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against your pricked conscience."

In other words, Saul's life was at the bottom of the dung heap. Even whilst he thought that he was the king pin. To this end, God arrested Saul and challenged him with questions that no one else would have known to ask Saul. this is the same Saul who appeared to love the fame and prestigious benefits awarded him for his seeming religious zealousness.

This is why it was hard for Saul to kick against the pricks. The question then is this. Are each of us really being true to ourselves or are we just pawns? For all of us are only one heart beat away from eternity where all must give an account before God. Like Saul, in the profit and loss statement of life where are we?