Being an instrument of God to build His Kingdom is a gift only He can bestow upon us. As the story of Saul—whom we later come to know as the Apostle Paul—unfolds, he believes he is building God’s Kingdom by persecuting believers.
Yet on his way to Damascus to continue this mission, the Lord suddenly interrupted his journey. Jesus revealed His true identity as the one whom Saul was persecuting. On that day, the Lord brought Paul to a Y in the road along his spiritual journey, redirecting him in a completely life-changing way. In that divine interruption, God did more than change Saul’s path—He redefined his identity. This moment reminds us that transition is not just about a new direction, but about a renewed identity and purpose.
Saul’s New Purpose
As Saul picked himself off the ground, he discovered he was now blind. His friends led him to Damascus, where he remained blind for three days, neither eating nor drinking. In this state, the Lord spoke to a believer named Ananias. He was to go to the house on Straight Street to lay hands on and pray for him so that he could see. Acys 9:15 Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.”[1]
At the same time, Saul was praying because God had turned his world upside down. Through this experience, Saul not only met the living Lord but also had his entire understanding of the Messiah changed. Saul was a scholar of the Old Testament and now realized that Jesus, whom his fellow Jews had killed by nailing Him to the cross, was the Messiah.
In many ways, Paul’s encounter with Jesus reflects the words of the hymn Amazing Grace. “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch, like me! I once was lost but now am found; I was blind, but now I see.”[2] Just as God gave John Newton, the composer of Amazing Grace, a new purpose and identity, He did the same for Paul.
Redeemed for a Purpose
As Ananias prayed for Saul, the scales fell from his eyes, and then he got up and was baptized. With new spiritual eyes, Paul rises as a believer in Jesus, transformed not only in what he sees but in who he is becoming. He is someone the Lord will use to bring many to faith. His story reminds us that redemption is never meant to stop at personal belief; it always carries a greater purpose.
When the Lord opens our eyes, He calls us beyond simply receiving grace to being an instrument of God. He will use us to bring that grace into the lives of others. Like Paul, our redemption is not the finish line. It is the beginning of a new assignment and transition shaped by God’s purpose. The same Lord who transforms our hearts also sends us out to reflect His light and lead others toward faith. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/transition-follows-transformation
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ac 9:15). Tyndale House Publishers.