In modern day Jordan, there is a highway named Highway 35. It winds through the barren desert landscape. At times it looks like an old country road, other times it looks like an ancient roman causeway, and often it looks like a deadly viper sprawled across the hot sun baked landscape. This is known as the King’s Highway and it has been here for longer than humans can remember. The road predates Rome, predated most of the Persian empires and traces all the way back to Ancient Egypt and perhaps even further. You have always been able to traverse this road from Cairo all the way to Damascus and beyond. This road has seen many travelers and has given birth to many stories and has seen the rise and fall of kingdoms and empires. Soldiers from world wars, crusades, invasions, and conquests have trodden its path. This road has been walked by the founders of most of the world’s major religions. From Moses, Abraham, Mohammad and Jesus this road has seen the humble become legend.
The road is the most famous for the account of Saul the Pharisee. A man bent on the persecution of the new upstart sect of Judaism now known as Christianity. It is written in the Christian New Testament that Saul had a great conversion on this road to Damascus. While traveling the King’s Highway on the outskirts of the small city, a light appeared from Heaven and challenged Saul. It was during this event that he became Paul, and most historians believe that it was Paul that would be the instrument that would cause the rapid growth of the Christianity in the Roman Empire. For Christians this is a significant religious event, for anyone else, this concept of the Road to Damascus symbolizes a turning point in one’s life.
Interesting side note. Anyone that has made a serious review of Paul’s life, will realize that had several turning points throughout his career. He was certainly involved in the upstart of a new religion and all the persecution and antagonism that involves. This process of overcoming trials and tribulation is highly evident in the many letters that he wrote while sitting in a Roman prison. That gives me some bit of guidance, as one turning point might be a good momentous occasion but it takes many such “conversions” along the way to truly be successful. So one is not enough!
The point of this blog is to consider what our own personal Road to Damascus is. What is your King’s Highway? Have you had the moment of realization of purpose, of what you are supposed to be doing in life? If you have not, then why not? Better get on the Road to Damascus then! If you have then are you pursuing it with the passion that Paul did his mission?
Guy Reams
