The Catalyst

Acts 9:22

“Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.”

I loved it when I finally got the answer in math class.  It usually wasn’t my own understanding but a classmate, teacher, or maybe my dad that brought the “Ahaaa ” moment. All the parts fit and I could finally see the answer.  Not only that, but after I understood I was able to fit the pieces of the math problem together to find the answer for myself.  So after that, I helped my classmates who did not get it because real understanding is when you can teach it to others. For some, math is a minefield of wrong answers but for others, it can be a very rewarding experience.  

Saul was on his way to Damascus with letters from the high priests to imprison the ones who followed the ways of Jesus Christ.  The Lord showed up on that road in a big way and Saul fell to the ground.  Jesus asked him why he was persecuting him.  Now blind from the encounter, he was led into the city and placed at the house of Ananias, a Christian who followed Jesus.  The Lord spoke to Ananias that Saul was going to be an instrument for the Lord to the Gentiles and to pray for him.  After Ananias prayed, scales fell off Saul’s eyes and he could see again.  Transformed, Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus and at once, he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. Three days at the house of Ananias and boom, a redeemed Saul is preaching that Jesus is the Son of God.  What a change!  What was the cause?  Did he read and understand the scriptures more? Did he all of the sudden hear something that changed his mind?  The only thing we are told is that Jesus met him on the road and three days later after Ananias prayed for him, he was filled with the Holy Spirit he was preaching the same thing he used to kill people for.  Even so, he was baffling the Jews in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. 

In chemistry the agent that causes the reaction to happen is called a catalyst.  Without it, the reaction would never happen.  Saul experienced the catalyst, the Holy Spirit, the changing agent that made his hard heart change into one that was proving that Jesus was the Messiah.  The Holy Spirit is the gift of God and it is given to all who call Jesus Lord and master of their lives.  Just like the math problems, after you have the Holy Spirit the word of God comes alive to you.  You hear God speaking through the pages and verses like a teacher slowly walking you through the toughest math problem.  Even with the Holy Spirit we may not completely understand life in its current state but you can rest assured that the Lord is working even when you don’t see it.  The Holy Spirit keeps telling us that the Lord has it all under control.  Have you met the Holy Spirit?  Are you tired of flunking life’s tests?  Try praying and asking the Holy Spirit to open your ears so you can hear Him speaking.  You don’t have to flunk life’s exams any more.  One experience with the Master and you could be just like Saul, baffling people with the wisdom from the Lord.