“In Between Normals”: A 30 Day Devotion on the Book of Acts预览

Wake-up Call

People "in between normals" are usually more sensitive to God's voice. How can they not? The chaos that befalls us is like a wake-up call, forcing us to re-evaluate our lives.

In today's reading, we see how this happened to Saul. Saul had a perfect CV. He was born into the right family, went to the right school, had a great career, and was morally impeccable! (Philippians 3:3-5) He was the up-and-coming, young and successful guy you’d want in your team. But something was lurking behind the curtain. Saul had a dark side that he didn't even know about.

The Dark Side

When Stephen was murdered, Saul was there "giving approval to his death." (8:1) As the mega-persecution broke out, Saul was "breathing out murderous threats again the Lord's disciples." (9:1) Saul was so on fire for his career that he would "destroy" his enemies. Since his career was a religious one, he resolved "to destroy the church." (Acts 8:3)

The Gracious God

But thankfully, God was gracious. He intervened before it was too late. For a headstrong person like Saul, God chose to speak to him directly, in person, and through a strong light! (How's that for a movie!)

As a result, Saul was thrown into chaos. "For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything." (9:9) Everything that Saul held so strongly for so long was now in limbo. His "old normal" wasn't just gone. It was shattered! So, what was God doing here?

The Wake-Up Call

In a nutshell, God gave Saul a wake-up call to stop him from his path of self-destruction. God took away Saul's "old eyes" (so to speak), and gave him a set of "new eyes." Now, from the depth of his heart, Saul of Tarsus can truly say, "Ah... I see!"

Look! The goal of wake-up calls is not punishment but restoration. It shatters all the wrong assumptions that we have been holding so tightly. It's God's way of bringing us spiritual awakening. If you find yourself in such a situation, follow the prophet Samuel's prayer. God, please "speak, for your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3:10)

Reflection:

When was the last time you experienced a wake-up call? What was God trying to teach you? If you are going through a wake-up call now, what do you think God is trying to tell you?