This was the question addressed to the Saviour by Saul of Tarsus when the Lord met with him on the Damascus road. Saul had spent many days in the service of God (as he thought) while persecuting the disciples of Jesus of Nazareth. But the time had now come when the once persecutor of the Church of God was to be changed by the almighty power of God into the mighty apostle of the Gentiles. How evident it is that nothing short of divine grace could have accomplished such a radical transformation as took place in the case of Saul of Tarsus in turning the outstanding opponent of early Christianity into its foremost protagonist.
Saul was arrested in the very midst of his persecuting work “Whereupon,” he says, “as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at mid-day . . . I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.” Saul, the persecutor, was smitten down by the sudden revelation given to him of the glory of the divine Redeemer and the arresting charge, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” In this way he was effectually convinced of the evil of his sin in persecuting the church of God. So sensible was he of the enormity of his guilt in this respect that afterwards he confesses: “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” How misguided he now saw his former zeal to be and recognised how far removed his former course was from the way of the Lord.
How quickly did the proud Pharisee become a humble suppliant! — Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? In this question he acknowledges the sinfulness of his former ways and desires to be led into the right way. How expressive is this question of the mind and attitude
of the renewed soul. How truly it expresses the inmost thought of the gracious soul at every juncture in life’s journey — “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” It is of grace alone that a person desires to know and to do the will of the Lord. The Lord’s people desire to hear His voice saying to them: “This is the way, walk ye in it.” They know that the Lord’s way is the best way for them. They seek direction from Heaven on their path and the Lord graciously assures them:
“I will instruct thee, and thee teach
the way that thou shalt go;
And, with mine eye upon thee set,
I will direction show.” (Ps. 32 : 8).
To Saul of Tarsus, the Lord said: “Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” And to Ananias in Damascus, the Lord made known His will for Saul: “He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.”
Let us now apply this question to ourselves. Do we say, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? Do we seek direction from the Most High in all things? Do we desire to do the Lord’s will? Or are we still wedded to our own sinful ways and to self-pleasing? If so, may we hear the voice of the Lord saying to us. “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” and may we be brought to say with the Psalmist:
“Thy ways, Lord, show; teach me thy paths:
Lead me in truth, teach me.”
May we also be brought to say with Saul of Tarsus. “Lord, what Wilt Thou have me to do?”