Do You Need to Turn Around?
Saul was literally stopped in his tracks by the light from heaven as he travelled to Damascus on a mission to persecute Christians and his life was turned right around.
He thought he was on the right track, he had every reason to trust in his flesh.
‘Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.’
But on that road everything changed. Saul was converted from having a dead religion of works to faith in Jesus Christ.
This reminded me of a different turning. That of the children of Israel when they were trusting in Egypt for help rather than looking to God. But when they turned back to God He would have mercy on them.
‘And therefore will the LORD wait, (wait for them to turn again to Him) that he may be gracious unto you. And therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you. For the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more. He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry. When he shall hear it, he will answer thee.
And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying. This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’
When they turned again to the Lord, He would hear and have mercy and would lead and guide them.
Saul had to turn from his false religion of dead works. The children of Israel had to turn again from trusting in man to trusting in the living God.
Do you need to turn to, or turn again to the living God?
Is your religion one of faith or works?
Or have you, like the children of Israel, been distracted by the world and need to turn again to the Lord your God?
‘In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:’
‘This is the way walk ye in it.’
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Acts 9, Phil 3:4-6, Isaiah 30:15-21
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