THE STRAIGHT STREET

Ananias, a certain disciple at Damascus received a commandment from the Lord to go to the above mentioned street. There he had to enquire for one called Saul. The Lord, whose eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth and from whom nothing is hidden, did not only mention the name of that man but also gave a testimony of this person. “For, behold he prayeth.”

Who is the man that Ananias was to meet in the street called Straight? In what way did he come there? It is he who consented unto the death of the first martyr, Stephen. When Stephen was stoned, Saul made up his mind to persecute and to kill the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. He thought this a work which would be pleasing to the Lord.

He persecuted the congregation of Jerusalem, breathing out threatenings and slaughter against them. With letters from the High Priest, he travelled as a roaring lion to Damascus to bind all the saints that he might bring them back to Jerusalem.

Blinded by hatred against the Man of Nazareth and His disciples, Saul journeyed with a sword in his hand to Damascus, to slay the sheep of the salughter. What a wonder of divine grace took place on the road to Damascus!

He who went with his sword drawn to kill the followers of Christ was slain by the sword of Christ’s mouth. He who did not like to bow before anyone was as a bowing man, broken, blind and powerless, fallen down to earth. He who was the leader is now led by the hand. His eyes were blinded and he could not see before the light of God’s friendly face shone upon him. The royal might of Christ made him captive, who would take others captive. As a blind man he was led by the hand. He who first led the way now did not know which way to go. It is the same way with all of God’s people who are caught by Christ and drawn out of darkness into His marvellous light. The hatred and enmity is broken in them. Then we understand how blind we are, not knowing which way to go, missing all righteousness, unworthy of any favour, being the children of wrath. This is learned in the way of true conversion.

Saul was led to the house of a certain Judas in the street called Straight. In that place Saul experienced the mortification of the old and the quickening of the new man. Here he was led on the straight and narrow way which leads unto life eternal. By nature we all walk on the broad way which leads to destruction. Each and all of us are walking in ways we choose to our own condemnation. On these ways sin rules over us. It may be in the way of fancied self-righteousness as a Paul, or in the way of brute unrighteousness as a Manassah.

All of us have chosen the Betrayer as our guide and walk in the paths of darkness. We are strangers of God and love the works of darkness as Paul did, hating the Light which came into the world.

Christ, the way, the truth, and the life leads by His Word and Spirit in the “straight way”. Those who are led in the way of true conversion are made to cry out earnestly for grace because of felt need of the soul and sorrow of heart. This Straight street is indeed a narrow but safe way and fools shall not err therein, because the Lord himself is their Guide. The Lord makes all those walk therein whom He calls out of the state of death.

In that house Saul did neither eat nor drink for three days, for everything must yield to the one thing needful. The Lord made a hunger and thirst in Paul’s soul, which could not be quenched by bodily food or drink. No earthly refreshment is able to relieve the need of a soul, who is arrested and made a prisoner of Christ and who hungers and thirsts for food of the soul. The persecutor is made a supplicant before the throne of grace, “For behold he prayeth”, was said by the Lord to Ananias.

Here is what was sung by the poet of old:

“I stretch out my hands to reach Him
Day and night my prayers beseech Him
To my God my grief I told,
I refuse to be consoled.”

He confessed with David, “Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight,” acknowledging his transgressions. What an anxious experience of life!

Paul, the Pharisee, who had rested upon his good works now abhors and loathes himself because of his sins and transgressions. Out of the depth of his misery he now cried and prayed in Spirit and truth. The great wonder is that although Paul is so poor and needy the Lord thinks upon him. The eyes of the Lord are open day and night in favour beholding his elect. God hears the groanings of His people and remembers His everlasting covenant. This is an encouragement for people who walk upon this earth condemned, because all their sins, iniquities and transgressions testify against them. Guilty under the law, with a living consciousness of God’s displeasure, they mourn and bewail their back-sliding as the cause of all misery, which causes them to cry and supplicate for grace. Christ shall arise when His people are sighing. He shall open the prison to give freedom and liberty to those who are taken captive by Him.

When three days had passed a person unknown to Paul entered into the house, and putting his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou earnest hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.” When this was said unto him, immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales. The light of God’s comforting countenance shone upon his soul. Now Paul may enjoy himself in the light of life.

“Brother Saul.” These words came from the lips of him who had so many objections to meet the enemy and persecutor of God’s people. The Lord, however, took away all objections, assuring Ananias, “For he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles.”

What a wonderful meeting in the Straight Street in the house of Judas. It was for Paul the gate of heaven. Here he learned to know Jesus as the only firm foundation of salvation. In the street called Straight he learned to lose his own Pharisaical self-righteousness and to be covered and clothed with the righteousness of Christ.

Here Paul died to the law that he might live unto God. This was also the beginning of his career as a preacher. What grace he received, as he expressed later in his epistles, “I obtained mercy as the chief of sinners.” The center of his preaching was Jesus Christ and Him crucified. There in Damascus he was called to preach the righteousness of Christ, bearing His reproach.

Whoever we are and wherever we are living, we by nature are all enemies of God and our salvation. We all need the same conversion as Paul. We must come in “the street called Straight”, to lose our life to find it in Christ Jesus. We can be very religious or irreligious in our way of life, one thing is needful for all of us. The work of God by the power of the Spirit brings us down and leads us into the Straight street and the narrow way. In this way God is glorified and the enemy is reconciled with God.

Those of you who are truly concerned about your guilt and enmity, with all your good intentions, it seems that the separation between God and your soul becomes wider. Christ is still the same. He shall perform His work in you at His time and He will reveal Himself unto you to your joy, to be clothed with His righteousness.

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