Acts 9:7-8 “And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.”
As we learned in our last visit Saul (Paul) was given an instruction to get up out of the dusty road and go into the city. Have you ever wondered why those who traveled with him did not hear the same thing he heard? They heard something but they were not sure what it was. Was it thunder? Did Paul just get struck by lightning? Whatever it was they stood speechless. When Saul got up they had to lead him by the hand into the city to get help. They knew what to do just not why they had to do it.
In the Book of Job, God allowed Satan to test Job and Satan did his best to mess up Job's life. His children died; his business and finances were ruined; he even had sores and sickness throughout his body. It was so bad his wife encouraged him to curse God and die. Job's friends came to him and asked him to repent of the sin that must be in his life -- clearly from their perspective God was punishing him. Job's wife's advice was wrong and Job's friends were wrong. They were present but they didn't understand the event.
The men traveling with Saul didn't understand what he had experienced either. They heard a sound but didn't see anyone. Whether they recognized it as a supernatural event or wondered if it was thunder, they were speechless because of it. Have you ever felt that way before? You've just had this incredible encounter with God, so you tell your wife or your friends, yet no one seems to appreciate its significance. So much so that you even begin to doubt it yourself. Maybe you just imagined it. Did God really talk to me?
The message that day was not for them. God spoke to Saul. God had a message that was for Saul’s ears only. Surely God speaks to groups of people all the time, however our God is also a personal Savior and Counselor. As a result, much of what He speaks is meant for us personally. Notice I said personally not privately. My point is not that you shouldn't share when God speaks mightily and directly to you (as in Saul's experience), rather you shouldn't doubt that God did speak just because another person who was present didn't hear the same thing. God may have had a totally different message for the person setting next to you. You both heard God speaking but you each heard something different. You might have heard “rise up and go” the person next to you may have heard, “if you die without Christ you will go to hell.” Or maybe someone heard, “to be forgiven you must forgive.” You heard, “I sure could use another Sunday School teacher.” You both were in the same service and you both heard God’s voice, but each heard a different message. Remember God speaks to the heart not the head. Then there are those like the men on the road with Saul who heard something but saw nothing. Who were left speechless and wondering what just happened. Happens every Sunday.
Have you ever heard a sermon and when discussing it with your wife or friend found that they heard something completely different than you? Have you ever read a familiar verse of scripture and developed a completely different understanding of what it meant? If so, God has spoken to you personally -- did you pay attention to what the Creator of the Universe had to say? Did you then go out and do what He said? What can you do today to become more responsive to God's personal message for you?
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