I invite you to read Acts 9:1-31. 

We are all quite familiar with Saul's conversion story and the powerful ways in which God used him.

There are three aspects of his encounter with Jesus that I would like to draw your attention to.

1. A character trait: Zeal

We cannot question Paul's zeal. And yet his encounter with God does imply that his zeal was not only based on wrong motivations but was also based on something that was not true. 

Zeal is not enough. Our zeal has to be based on what is true.

2. An encounter: "He fell, was blind, had to be taken by the hand"

Paul was self-sufficient. He had all the resources he needed in himself to do what he thought he was called to do. 

His encounter with Jesus was going to challenge that attitude: He fell, experiencing instability, weakness, being humiliated. He was blind and became totally dependent on someone else. 

An authentic zeal has to be linked with dependency on God and relying on him to provide what we need to do what He calls us to do.

3. A mandate: "Go back to the city, there you will be told what to do"

Paul's patience was to be tried as he was to wait instructions and will not have the opportunity to improvise a plan as he had been cut out of his personal resources. Blindness was leading him to waiting. 

Things do not always happen right away. Waiting periods are also part of our calling to action for God. We need to learn when to go and when to wait.

Questions to Ponder

• What motivates you to do what you do? Are you in the right direction?
• Do you tend to rely more on your own strength, capability, zeal, than in God? How does Paul's testimony help you?
• How do you handle waiting? Does your attitude reflect a lack of trust in God?

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