WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: Do you have a picture of God in your mind? Where did it come from? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see a new picture of God today. Eyes opened Saul thought he had it sorted. Commissioned by the high priest, this highly intelligent and educated Jew was certain he was doing God’s will in pursuing and capturing these disciples of Jesus. Like many others (Luke 24:18–20), Saul might well have seen Jesus before his crucifixion – he would almost certainly have heard about him. But Saul did not recognise Jesus at that time or understand him. To help him open his eyes, Jesus makes Saul blind. To help him open his mind he gives him a question to ponder (v 4). Saul is brought to his knees, both literally and metaphorically. Drawing us closer Has God shaken your life recently and made you ask questions or see things in a different way? Sometimes, in order to move forward with God, we have to be jolted in our faith – or stopped in our tracks – and that can be painful. But God’s nature is perfect love. He never lets us out of his hands and his goal is to draw us closer to him. Respond: Maybe you have pictured God in a particular way for a long time, and need to re-encounter him in a fresh way. Remember that God is infinite; we will take all of eternity to learn about him. Ask him to open your ‘spiritual’ eyes to see him in a new way today, even if it may not feel comfortable! http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-12-03