Paul’s Conversion (A Poem)

This post is a little different. This is a sort of poem I wrote about Paul meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. It’s a sort of, “what Paul might have thought”. It reminds me also of how God has the complete and final say in calling us to Him.

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Light blinding all around, so suddenly without a sound.

What could be responsible?

My companions? Where are they and did they see what I did?

Weak, so weak, can’t stand, to my knees I fall.

Is it truly the end of it all?

Lord, haven’t I always been a good son of Israel?

Following Your law to a tee & held by others to a higher esteem?

Why would this happen to me?

I open my eyes and all I see is light with no form

Light, I can see light, and that is all!

What’s that? A voice coming from the light?

It must be my companions, I hear my name.

Persecute you? Who are you?

LORD?

Jesus?

But he’s dead. He must be. This can’t be real.

Kick against the goads? What do you mean?

Oh my!

The followers of the Way?

Stephen, the way he died, with a conviction beyond comprehension.

So like him,  like Jesus.

The rage that built up in me because of the peace that Stephen had in his death.

Was I hiding something deeper in my heart? Was I jealous of him?

Did I desire that for myself? For my own faith?

There was something in his eyes, an assuredness.

It wasn’t just blind faith. It was as if he knew, personally, of what he believed.

And here I am, on my knees blind, struck down, stopped in my tracks,

by someone who claims to be this Jesus.

I am a learned man and have intimate knowledge of all that is written including the prophets.

What did they write?

Chief cornerstone, rejected, bruised for our iniquity, by his stripes we are healed, hung on a tree.

Oh my! Could it be?

What we.. I.., rejected and persecuted, was what we were waiting for?

It’s TRUE!

Jesus IS the Christ and fulfilled ALL the scriptures that spoke of this!

How could we have missed it?

Were we been blinded by our own loftiness?

Our own selfish desire to be held in high regard?

Here was this man who had everything and gave up everything and died a lowly criminal’s death.

On my knees still, I recognize the light now!  It is Christ, the light of the world.

All I can do is fall lower on my face in awe of him and ask, “what would you have me do?”

Go? Go where? I will!  It is all I can do.

Feeling so wretched and humbled.. BUT NEW!

This same man whose flock I persecuted, calls out to me, offering me Mercy and Grace,

FORGIVENESS!!!!

I must go, lead me there NOW!

The irony, as blind as I am at this moment, I see more clearly than ever before.

I pray that I would now bring fame to His name whom I once persecuted.

I know what was in Stephen’s eyes now. It was Christ!

He saw Him, he met Him.

Now I know why we hated them, HIM, so much!

Because where we may doubt, they were sure.

Though scared and pursued, they’re faith was a solid rock, unmoved.

Everyone must know, Jew and Gentile.

I will follow you Lord! And If I never see again,

THE SCALES FROM MY EYES HAVE ALREADY BEEN REMOVED!