People of a Faith Like High Mountains and Deep Valleys

As Saul heads toward Damascus, an intense light pours down before him and a voice speaks. Struck blind and fallen to the ground, he realizes that the Jesus he has been persecuting is the living God. Though dismayed at the command to heal the eyes of his enemy, Ananias obeys.

After meeting Christ, Saul immediately leaves behind the faith of the Jews and enters a life of proclaiming the gospel. Yet he confesses that two hearts are at war within him. Because it was a faith that could be kept only by giving up human righteousness, a heart thankful for grace and the weakness of the flesh were always in conflict. He was beaten, shipwrecked, and even carried an illness in his body, but God did not take that thorn away. Instead, it was the hand that held him back from becoming proud.

Faith is sometimes full, like a high mountain, and sometimes collapses, like a deep valley. On the mountain, believers must be humble; in the valley, they must cry out to God. The glory of the world collapses in a moment, but faith that holds fast to Christ does not collapse.