David Bahn – Reflections

“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

Unexpected turns of phrases always catch my attention. To that end, I had to read twice the phrase in this passage: “witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you.” Paul is recounting how Jesus spoke to him on the road to Damascus. As Jesus spoke to Paul he was telling him the purpose for his appearing, “to appoint you as a servant and witness.” Somehow, Jesus’ appearance to Paul on the Damascus road was not to be the last. Paul would see him again. And he would witness to Jesus’ appearing in the things (not people) that would unfold in and through Paul’s ministry.

Those would be things like miraculous escapes from prison, healings, conversions, and demonic deliverances. Jesus was behind all those things. Jesus was still at work and Paul was to be a witness to Jesus’ work in the world, and in people’s lives.

So when I see the miraculous medical sojourn of a little baby – born when the doctors had advised her parents to give up even before she was born – I must realize this is Jesus at work. And when I hear of a dramatic conversion of a young man, raised in a Jewish family, and now a believer in Jesus, I need to see Jesus at work in this. And when two people whose marriage was on the brink find a way to put things back together again, I need to realize this is Jesus at work. I need to see Jesus in these things. And I need to witness to that as well.

It’s very easy to credit modern medicine, social and psychological factors, and emotional growth in these things. The world always points us in that direction. But just because it’s easy to see something, doesn’t make it right. And just because Jesus’ influence and participation isn’t always obvious to us doesn’t mean he’s not behind it all.

We’ve been praying for our six week old grand-niece these past few days. She just received a liver transplant yesterday and we are praying that her health will be fully restored. When that time comes, we are praying also that her parents also see Jesus in her recovery. He is surely there. And we long for others to see his presence in these blessings.