Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good grief…I mean, Good morning, dear ones.

It’s cold, blowing, and sleeting like crazy out there. Nevertheless, I think I’ll be brave and take along an umbrella and attempt a jog. Wow!...Becki just approached me with a willingness to join me. I assumed she wouldn’t be much interested in these conditions.

May your day be blessed as you say, “LORD!” That one word can be a dynamic prayer.
Love, Dad/Ray

Why did God give such special attention to Saul and administer such a dramatic conversion? After all he certainly wasn’t giving any outward evidence of being a seeker. In fact the evidence was that he clearly hated Christ and His followers. He didn’t raise his hand and go forward in an evangelistic crusade. He didn’t repeat “the sinner’s prayer” and become “born again” in the traditional sense. But the Lord obviously saw in Saul something valuable that He could tap and use. And who can doubt his conversion? Could it be that there was more going on inside of Saul than one might detect on the outside?

Jacob of old wrestled all night with the Angel of the Lord. I believe it’s very possible that Saul had been wrestling with the same Angel within his mind and spirit. Perhaps the wrestling began when he heard and saw Stephen’s behavior when Saul had given approval for his execution. He had to wonder how this “crazy Christian faith” could have equipped Stephen to preach with such power and die with such peace. Disturbing. Haunting..

I remember being involved in some childhood wrestling. The goal of one form was to bring your opponent under submission by twisting his arm or leg into some painful contortion until he said, “Uncle!” Saul had designs of throwing one of his favorite “hammer-lock” moves on this weak Christ and His rebellious followers whom he felt needed to experience some pain from his superior power. What a joke! Paul was sincerely ignorant, overestimating himself, and grossly underestimating his opponent. Christ effortlessly gave Saul just a little flash of His sovereign power that knocked him square on his you-know-what right there in the middle of the road. He had to be surprised. But Saul was no dummy. He knew immediately that he had been over-powered and was no match for this level of might. Pinned in the dirt of humiliation, he didn’t say, “Uncle,” but he said the right word. In total surrender he said, “Lord.”

I’m sure Saul had a pretty good idea Who this “Lord” was—but just to make sure, he asked. “Who are you, Lord?” When he grasped what was really going on and understood that JESUS IS LORD, he completely submitted. The wrestling was over. We had a Winner. And there is no evidence that Saul (Paul) ever stopped submitting—or that he ever stopped saying, “LORD.”