Acts 9:19-31 "Now for several days he (Saul) was with the disciples who were at Damascus." The newly saved and transformed Saul began to preach Jesus. He went to the synagogues.. the same ones that he had planned to visit in order to detain Christians.. telling everyone there that "Jesus is the Son of God." People there had heard all about Saul, the persecutor.. but were stunned when he came as Saul the disciple of Jesus Christ. Saul took all the knowledge that he had gained as a student of Gamaliel.. and filled by the Holy Spirit he confounded the Jews.. "by proving that this Jesus is the Christ."
It didn't take long for the Jews to begin plotting to kill Saul. So, those who had become his disciples took him and put him in a large basket. They lowered him out of a window on the city wall and he traveled back to Jerusalem. Saul tried to approach disciples there in Jerusalem, but they were all afraid of him, until Barnabas "took hold of him" , brought him to the apostles, and "described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus."
It wasn't long.. again.. before Saul became a target of the Jews. Again others took hold of Saul and sent him to Caesarea where he boarded a ship to Tarsus. The next we read about Saul is when Barnabas goes to Tarsus to find him and bring him to Antioch where together, they led the church there. (Acts 11:25-26)
I noticed something about Saul/Paul in this passage. After meeting Jesus on the road, Saul was led by the hand into Damascus.. he sight was restored by Ananias, his disciples took him and lowered him in the basket.. Barnabas brought him to meet the apostles.. the brethren took him to Caesarea and put him on a boat to Tarsus.. and finally Barnabas brought him to Antioch.
Saul did not determine his own path but allowed the Lord to order his steps. The Lord used others in his life to move him to where God wanted him to preach that Jesus is the Christ. Proverbs 16:9 says, "The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." Saul seems to have learned that truth from the beginning of his walk with Jesus. He would find this true for the rest of his life.. willingly allowing the Lord to move him wherever He chose.. even to prison.. even to death.
Father in heaven, we do like to make plans for ourselves.. but we know that Your plans are always better and so we willingly lay our lives down and ask for You to direct our steps. Your will be done! We ask that You would work in us both to will and to do what pleases You. Move us, take us, bring us, and yes, when You see fit, bring us Home. Help us to rest in Jesus, for we are the branches and He is the Vine.. do as You desire so that we will bear fruit for the glory of Your Holy Name. Come and have Your way Spirit of God, flow in us and through us we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.