ON THE ROAD CALLED STRAIGHT

Saul (later the apostle Paul) was on his way to Damascus with the intent of arresting and persecuting the saints. As we know from the story, Jesus met him on the road. A brilliant light struck his eyes, and he lost his sight. He was then led by the hand into the city, completely blind.

But while he was there, Saul was not in a normal state. He was in deep spiritual anguish. He ate no food and drank no water—he was fasting. More than that, he was praying earnestly.

After this, something remarkable happened. A man named Ananias was visited by the Lord in a vision and was instructed to go and find Saul. And the place he was told to go to was a street called Straight.

That is, the straight road.

Acts 9:8–12 (NIV)

8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

You might ask yourself: Why that street?
Why call it Straight, and not “Main Street,” or “Good Street,” or any other name?

Because spiritually speaking, Christ places His people on the straight path—the path that is made right.

Before this encounter, Paul was walking on a corrupted path: a path of opposing Christ, violence, slander, sin, and death.
But when he met Jesus, he was taken off that broken road and placed onto the straight path of his calling and service.

It is striking to see how many people today resist Christ and refuse salvation, thinking that religion will straighten their paths, that money will level their valleys, or that education will remove their mountains.

They do not realize that the only straight path is life in Christ. Everywhere else leads to valleys and mountains—and in the end, to the pit and to death. There is no rest outside of Christ.

John the Baptist understood this and cried out loudly, saying:

John 1:23 (NIV)

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

To believe in Jesus is to make the way of the Lord straight.

So let me ask you: Are you on the straight path?

Be saved today, dear brother, dear sister. Remember, outside of Christ you are lost—there is no debate about this; it is the truth. There is no hope unless Jesus saves you. Hurry and repent today. Believe in the finished work of Christ’s redemption accomplished for you on the cross. Time is short; the door of grace will not remain open forever.

May the Lord bless you.

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