Monday 5th May
Read Acts 9:17-19
“Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptised, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” (NIVUK)
One of the most famous lines in one of the most famous hymns speaks of salvation in terms of seeing. ‘I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see.’ Paul can attest that John Newton never wrote more truly.
Paul was blinded on the road to Damascus by a vision of the risen Jesus (Acts 9:3). For centuries now, this blinding vision of Jesus has been the centre of their hope. Christians of old sought the beatific vision, the vision of the face of the Christ, the source of ultimate glory. It ultimately redounds to our shame that we are so ignorant of this ancient quest. Paul’s most famous passage finishes with this very hope – “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.” (1 Corinthians 13:12a) (NIVUK).
Why are we blind to this vision of Jesus? There are hints even within Paul’s Damascene experience. When Ananias touched Paul and the Spirit descended, ‘something like scales’ fell from his eyes (v18). In that small phrase Luke wants us to see the serpent of old in action, but ultimately defeated. The deception of the serpent persuades us to settle for less than the glory of God, to keep our eyes lowered and darkened. Only when we fix our eyes on Jesus and seek His face do we truly see.
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:4-6) (NIVUK)
