“It seems to me,” Stan commented one morning, “that the story of the apostle Paul’s conversion is one of the most dramatic stories in the Bible.”
“Yeah,” I said, “what happened to him on that road to Damascus was really something.”
“There’s a part of that story,”Stan replied, “that paints a good picture for me about my faith walk, what it is, as well as being a picture of what it’s to look like on an ongoing basis.”
“What’s that?”
“Before I get to that,” Stan said, “let’s do a quick recap of what was going on. Paul, who before then was known as Saul of Tarsus, didn’t care much for Christians.”
“That’s why he was going to Damascus, wasn’t it?” I asked.
“That’s right,” Stan replied. “He was on his way there to get rid of some more Christians.”
“But God interrupted his journey,” I commented.
“His journey, his eternal destination, his life, and everything about him,” Stan added.
Continuing, he said “You ever notice where he went after that encounter with Jesus?”
“He went on to Damascus, didn’t he?” I said.
“He did,” Stan replied, “and where he went is what reflects on my faith walk.”
“Where he went?” I said. “Where did he go?”
“Straight Street,” Stan responded. “It says he went to a street called Straight and was staying at a house that belonged to someone named Judas.”
“Probably a different Judas,” I ventured.
“Certainly,” Stan said, “the Judas who betrayed Jesus was long gone. But the fact Paul or Saul went to a street called Straight is important to me and my faith walk.”
“In what way?”
“I like to look at it as Jesus interrupted Paul’s journey on a crooked road, straightened him out, and sent him to Straight Street. Same with me.”
“Same with you?”
“Yeah,” Stan replied, “Before I came to faith, I was certainly walking down a lot of crooked streets doing a lot of stuff that was contrary to why God created me and why He drew me to Him. While my conversion was not as dramatic as Paul’s, God clearly interrupted my journey on the crooked roads of life so I could walk the straight street with Him.”
“So,” I said, “I guess it would be worthwhile for each one of us to look at the roads we are traveling to see if they are more crooked than God wants for us.”
“Not only that,” Stan replied, “but then we are to look to see if the street we are walking is as straight as it should be!”
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Bible verses to consider:
Arise and go to the street called Straight. Acts of the Apostles 9:11.
He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the Prophet said.” John 1:23.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for those who brought me to the truth that I was walking on crooked roads apart from where you had for me to walk with you. Thank you, too, that you want me to go where you want and do what you intend for as long as you keep me on this side of eternity. I confess that too often I choose crooked roads apart from you rather than walking with you on your straight paths. Please forgive that foolishness. And please help me to follow every step of your lead so I do walk only the paths you intend for me. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you stopped walking the crooked road apart from God so you know you will spend eternity in His presence when it’s time? If no, why? Do you not know of His free and gracious provision that only needs to be accepted? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with walking with God the way He intends on this side of eternity? Are there crooked paths you need to abandon in favor of His straight ones? If you sense the need for change in the paths you are walking, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 