The Most Important How

How common is it for people to miss what is most important!  We get ahead of ourselves, looking to a desired end when it is only by looking to Jesus will we arrive there.  I remember when I first sensed an unexpected call from God to prepare for pastoral ministry.  The questions repeated over and over in my mind was "When and how?"  These questions remained unanswered until a door was miraculously opened.  It was similar when the LORD placed Australia on my heart:  I was more focused on how my family could immigrate to Australia rather than "how" being answered by faith in Him.  If you asked me how we arrived in Australia, we arrived by plane; the more important how was we also came by faith in Jesus.  It was Jesus and faith in Him, not the fact after many years we finally stood on Australian soil, how we found ourselves sustained ever since.

Faith in God often requires action.  Abraham's faith in God was revealed when he left his homeland to go where God showed Him.  By faith Moses climbed Sinai when the other Hebrews cowered in fear before the presence of the almighty God.  By faith Joshua and the children of Israel crossed the Jordan into Canaan, trusting through God they would be victorious.  By faith Gideon attacked the mighty Midianites and prevailed with 300 men.  By faith Saul, after he was struck blind by Jesus Christ who confronted him on the road, continued onto Damascus to wait until he received further instruction.  This was an act of faith I have often overlooked.  If we were struck blind on the road, we likely would have gone back home to Jerusalem to recover or seek medical treatment.  Saul was obedient to the command of Christ, and three days later miraculously received his sight according to the word of the LORD.

Saul went to Damascus with intent to persecute believers, arrest and bring them bound to Jerusalem for judgment.  Losing his physical sight was the path to spiritual enlightenment by God's grace.  Ananias, a follower of Jesus Christ, was prompted to seek out Saul and lay hands on him to receive his sight.  It did not matter how Ananias went to Damascus--whether by foot or beast--as long as he went by faith in Jesus.  Acts 9:17-20 reads, "And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." ¹⁸ Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. ¹⁹ So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. ²⁰ Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God."

What a trade off!  Saul experienced blindness, hunger and thirst for three days but at God's appointed time was blessed beyond measure to be accepted as "brother," received his sight, was filled with the Holy Spirit, born again, empowered and gifted to preach Christ.  Saul's cause at one time was to persecute the church, yet God graciously transformed him by faith in Jesus and gave him an infinitely better one as an afflicted, persecuted child of God.  Saul, who later was called Paul, wrote to believers in 2 Corinthians 4:13-18:  "And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. ¹⁵ For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Temporary blindness was a small trial in the life of the apostle Paul, yet all tribulation and suffering he experienced with eyes of faith in Jesus was momentary, "light affliction" which could not be compared with the glory God would reveal in believers (Romans 8:18).  In light of eternity by faith in Christ the sufferings of this life fade away, obscured by the blessing of God's presence and fellowship with Him and an eternal home with Him in heaven.  For all those who want to enjoy our created purpose for existence as servants of God, faith in Jesus is the vehicle to bring us there by God's grace.  God does not make light of our suffering, yet all affliction is light compared to the eternal weight of glory God has in store for us.  Our outward man is perishing, and by faith our inner man is being renewed day by day.  Should God direct you to climb a mountain or travel to another city, how or when you arrive there by God's grace is of little consequence compared to the most important how:  by faith in Him.