Acts 9:5 And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you persecute: it is hard for you to kick against the pricks.

 

Many people will refer to Saul’s conversion experience as his meeting Jesus on the Road to Damascus. He did meet Jesus on the Road to Damascus but he didn’t just happen to come upon Jesus sitting on the side of the road. The Glory of the Lord fell on Saul and the Light was so bright it knocked him to the ground! It would be better said that Saul was attacked by Jesus on the Road to Damascus.

 

After Jesus identified Himself to Saul, he made a statement that many find difficult to understand. He said, I am Jesus whom you persecute: it is hard for you to kick against the pricks. God always speaks to us in terms we understand.

 

In those days, many people were farmers. They used oxen to pull plows and work their ground. The oxen were yoked together and harnessed to the farm implement. Oxen are big, strong animals and very stubborn. They would often want to go their own way and no man had the strength to stop them so the farmers fixed sharp pieces of stone (pricks or goads) on the plow right behind the oxen’s feet and legs. When the animal would kick or try to walk in a different direction, their feet and legs would hit the sharp stones which would hurt them. This would deter them from being disobedient and they would walk straight. These pricks (or goads) were actually a training mechanism not unlike a shock collar we use to train dogs. When they obey, all is well but when they disobey, they get hurt. The smarter the dog, the less you have to use the collar.

 

Saul had been acting in disobedience to God by persecuting Jesus and His believers. He had kicked against the pricks far too many times and found himself lying on the ground in total submission to Jesus.

 

Saul was a very smart man and he knew when he had met his match. Jesus Christ was a force to be reckoned with. He was God’s Son; the Messiah; the Savior of the world and it was time Saul understood that.

 

God had a Plan for Saul’s life but He had to get his attention and show him who was boss. As smart and full of zeal as Saul was, he found out very quickly that Jesus was far stronger and the Power of God was beyond anything he had ever seen. Immediately, he stopped kicking. Obedience to Jesus would be his new passion and his entire life would never be the same.

 

How long will we kick against the goads? How many times do we have to make the same mistakes? When will we learn our lesson? How many times does God have to knock us down? Obedience to the Word of God is the key to living our lives for Christ. God has a Plan for our lives. Let’s stop kicking and just be obedient.

 

Obedience will…..…….turn the tide..……..in your life.

 

No more kicking,         Doreen

 

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