he loses his sight

​Let’s open up with Acts chapter 9, verses 11 and 12. 
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The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” (NLT)
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As we recall in our last few discussions in Acts chapter 9. Saul was on his way to destroy all Christians who resided in the Damascus region. But GOD interrupted Saul’s plans and caused him to lose his sight for three days. Saul followed the instructions the LORD gave him and went to a man named Judas' home and stayed there until he received further instructions.

Now, traumatized by his encounter with Christ. Saul did not eat nor drink anything as he contemplate what had happened to him on the road of Damascus. At this point, he probably was filled with many questions and begin to question everything he believed, was taught, and had said and done. Especially any and everyone he had offended and even hurt because of his religious frenzy. Believing his understanding and knowledge of the Scriptures was right and the only way to understand, interpret, communicate, and apply the Scriptures. Saul’s zeal and lack of openness to the teachings and interpretation of others' Bible knowledge prior to his encounter. He probably thought he was productive in his ministry. That he was doing the works and will of the LORD by attempting to destroy the livelihood, reputation, ministry, and business of his brothers and sisters.
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But now that he has been disabled and immobile, Saul had time to reflect and consider everything he had done. Everything he was taught. Everything he believed. In and through this encounter and difficulties, GOD was challenging Saul to open his mind and eyes not only to recount the things he had done in the name of Jesus against his brothers and sisters. But for the first time, GOD was opening the eyes of Saul so that he can really see. 
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basking in darkness when you think you are in the light
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​Now Saul was sitting in the house of Judas on the street of Straight, disturbed by his experience. While he was sitting there in complete darkness. He began to pray to the LORD, searching for understanding. Trying to get his questions answered. While everything he thought he knew was pitch black. He did not know how to move forward.
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This is a good place to consider the word darkness.

Over the years, Saul thought he knew and understood GOD – who HE is and what HE is about. Saul thought he had a relationship with GOD. He thought he had it all figured out and that his understanding of GOD was unmatched and fixed (securely placed or fastened, firmly set). When actuality, Saul was living and operating in a religious world of darkness. He had a relationship with religion and religious traditions, rituals, and customs and not with GOD. Which caused him to live in complete darkness and separated from GOD, when he thought he was living and basking in GOD’s light. When the opposite is true.

The sad spectacle of Saul’s plight is today, there are many Christians, especially Christian leaders who are in the same predicament as Saul. Thinking they are living in GOD’s light when they are in complete darkness. Matthew 6:22-23 puts it this way.

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (NKJV)
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​Saul’s entire being and entire spiritual life, he thought he was basking in GOD’s light, wisdom, and revelation. But here, it is clear that Saul as a Pharisee, a man of GOD, and a religious leader, was actually in the dark concerning the things of GOD. He is not only arrogant but ignorant concerning GOD. Matthew said concerning Saul and men and women like him, that their “… whole body is full of darkness….”

​This is a good place to explore the word darkness (or the phrase full of darkness). The Greek word for darkness is skoteinos (G4652), which is an adjective. The commentary Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown explain it this way. 
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​“… As a vitiated eye, or an eye that looks not straight, sees nothing as it is. So, a mind and heart are divided….” He does on and say, "a man’s (or woman’s) inward purpose, scope, and aim in life, determines his character…. If these are distorted and double… then his whole life is full of darkness….”
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​This is why Jesus continues at verse 24 of Matthew chapter 6 by saying 
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“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (NKJV)
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​Saul was passionate and loyal not to GOD but to his religion, religious traditions, and his limitive understanding of the Torah. It was more acceptable and pleasing to him to put GOD in a box based on this understanding and interpretation of the Torah. His service to GOD was about him and his religious relationships. Therefore, he was a master of himself and not a true servant of GOD. He had forsaken the light of GOD for his own enlightenment. But on this day, during the three days when Jesus caused him to lose his sight, Saul was confronted with a choice. 
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​1. Does he regain his sight and truly learn to live in GOD’s light?
2. Or does he continue to dwell in complete darkness? The darkness he created for himself and continues his path of being completely separated from GOD when he thought he was in the light.