Clearing Things Up
Instantly something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized -- Acts 9:18; New Living Translation
Roger Staubach, who led the Dallas Cowboys to the World Championship in 1972, admitted that his position as a quarterback who didn’t call his own signals was a source of trial for him. Coach Landry sent in every play. He told Roger when to pass, when to run and only in emergency situations could he change the play (and he had better be right!). Even though Roger considered coach Landry to have a “genius mind” when it came to football strategy, pride said that he should be able to run his own team. Roger later said, “I faced up to the issue of obedience. Once I learned to obey there was harmony, fulfillment, and victory.”
We could talk all day about obedience…literally. It comes down to doing it. The benefits of obedience are manifold. Roger Staubach learned that obedience leads to “harmony, fulfillment, and victory.” It leads to the same with our heavenly Father. Roger had to swallow his pride and listen to his coach. Ananias had to swallow his pride and go to Saul and do as God told him to do. Both cases got results. Roger’s obedience led to a championship. Ananias’ led to getting the greatest evangelist and missionary of all time started in ministry.
Obedience also clears things up. Once the “scales” were off Saul’s eyes he was baptized and began to preach. As the last devotion said, obedience came in two stages; Saul’s obedience in going into the city and Ananias’ obedience in going to Saul. Saul then “saw” clearly. He saw that Christ was the real deal. He began to “see” how all the Old Testament led to the Savior and that Jesus was that Savior. Saul then used all he had learned as a Pharisee to preach the truth of Christ. It started with an encounter with Christ, but continued with obedience.
I can’t help but think of the Prodigal Son. Luke 14 tells that story. A man had two sons; one wanted to do things his way, so he asked his father for his part of his inheritance. The father gave it to him and the boy spent it on wild living. The son found himself feeding pigs and starving to death. The King James Version says “he came to himself” (Luke 15:17a). The boy realized that doing it his way led him no where. He decided to go home, humble himself before his father, and become as obedient as a servant. The result was that the son was forgiven and exalted.
I wonder…what can be cleared up in our lives when we become obedient? The scales will come off of our eyes and we will come to our senses and see that we must do things God’s way. Obedience to God will always clear things up. We will experience harmony with our fellow man, fulfillment in living God’s purposes, and victory over sin and self.\
Instantly something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized -- Acts 9:18; New Living Translation
Roger Staubach, who led the Dallas Cowboys to the World Championship in 1972, admitted that his position as a quarterback who didn’t call his own signals was a source of trial for him. Coach Landry sent in every play. He told Roger when to pass, when to run and only in emergency situations could he change the play (and he had better be right!). Even though Roger considered coach Landry to have a “genius mind” when it came to football strategy, pride said that he should be able to run his own team. Roger later said, “I faced up to the issue of obedience. Once I learned to obey there was harmony, fulfillment, and victory.”
We could talk all day about obedience…literally. It comes down to doing it. The benefits of obedience are manifold. Roger Staubach learned that obedience leads to “harmony, fulfillment, and victory.” It leads to the same with our heavenly Father. Roger had to swallow his pride and listen to his coach. Ananias had to swallow his pride and go to Saul and do as God told him to do. Both cases got results. Roger’s obedience led to a championship. Ananias’ led to getting the greatest evangelist and missionary of all time started in ministry.
Obedience also clears things up. Once the “scales” were off Saul’s eyes he was baptized and began to preach. As the last devotion said, obedience came in two stages; Saul’s obedience in going into the city and Ananias’ obedience in going to Saul. Saul then “saw” clearly. He saw that Christ was the real deal. He began to “see” how all the Old Testament led to the Savior and that Jesus was that Savior. Saul then used all he had learned as a Pharisee to preach the truth of Christ. It started with an encounter with Christ, but continued with obedience.
I can’t help but think of the Prodigal Son. Luke 14 tells that story. A man had two sons; one wanted to do things his way, so he asked his father for his part of his inheritance. The father gave it to him and the boy spent it on wild living. The son found himself feeding pigs and starving to death. The King James Version says “he came to himself” (Luke 15:17a). The boy realized that doing it his way led him no where. He decided to go home, humble himself before his father, and become as obedient as a servant. The result was that the son was forgiven and exalted.
I wonder…what can be cleared up in our lives when we become obedient? The scales will come off of our eyes and we will come to our senses and see that we must do things God’s way. Obedience to God will always clear things up. We will experience harmony with our fellow man, fulfillment in living God’s purposes, and victory over sin and self.\
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