SUDDENLY, UNEXPECTEDLY, and out of the clear blue, everything he had believed in, fought for, and felt passionate about disintegrated into dust! He had been so sure he was right that it took a piercing heavenly light and God’s audible voice to open his spiritual sight. On his way to Damascus to find prisoners, that light from heaven flashed around him and a voice said to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Act 9:4) And he fell to the ground before the King of kings and Lord of lords.

How could something so dead wrong feel so dead right? Spiritual blindness does that. What guilt and shame must have coursed through his mind and heart after encountering the “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life”! Could he rejoice in now knowing the sick, self-righteous truth about himself?

When we look into the deepest recesses of our own hearts, do we rejoice in what we see? Do we really want to see the truth of what resides within us? Can we joyfully say, Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me… (Ps 139:23,24).

Poor, broken, sightless Saul! There he sat in his darkness, now knowing full well what he had done to the righteous Son of Almighty God! Did the steaming cloaks of those who stoned innocent Stephen now rise up to choke him? Did the screams of those being stoned now torment him? Did the sound of bloody lashes haunt him?

But then, the light that left scales on his physical eyes pierced his heart and opened it to the light of Jesus’ love and forgiveness. A light stronger than the dark power of guilt and shame. The scales fell off and he knew… he knew the truth and he rejoiced! That is why he could say to us, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Phil 4:4) Though the truth brought him guilt and shame, it also opened his eyes to cleansing, forgiveness, love, and restored relationships with God and men.

Love involves both pain and joy. Before we can experience the fullness of joy, we must look inside and confess the ugliness that resides in here—jealousy, rage, doubt, unforgiveness, bitterness, selfish ambition, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life…  Only after we feel the pain and sorrow of our helpless inability to save ourselves can we rejoice in the precious blood of the Lamb that washes that ugliness away and purifies us from the inside out.

1John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.” THAT is reason to rejoice with the truth!

(The Love Chapter from 1 Corinthians 13 forms sixteen months of encouragement to our remote Alaskan missionaries. Each month Arctic Barnabas Ministries sends out Courage For Bush Ministry Women to encourage and strengthen these amazing women to remain faithful at their post in the harsh living and ministering conditions of the Arctic. Their ministry to the native people of Alaska must be a God-calling and God-staying power. My heart struggles each month as I seek God for words to bless their precious hearts.  I have six more months to finish up the love series for them and thought I’d share February’s thoughts with all of you today.)