Galatians 1:17
“nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus”.
I love the fact that Paul went away after his conversion. His was a traumatic one. He was on his way to Damascus to arrest christians. While on his horse, he was knocked off, exposed to a brilliant light and heard the voice of Jesus, ‘”Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do”’ Acts 9:4-6.
Paul was a powerful person in a position of power. While performing his task of halting the spread of christianity, He encountered the one whom he thought he was serving, God. That was quite a mental shift, from thinking he was doing God’s will to learning he was fighting against it.
This was literally a 180. Paul’s mind, heart and soul were intensely fixated on one thing, then He met Christ. He needed to get away and process this. What did he do on this retreat? He probably read the scriptures. The Old Testament is full Jesus. After the resurrection, Jesus said the following to two followers, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself”, (Luke 24:27). Paul now understood the scriptures were about the redemption that Jesus did perform. This must have been very exciting. It was almost as if a veil was taken away.
The Lord worked with Paul in special ways. 2 Corinthians 12:7 says, “even with these surpassingly great revelations.” Much like John was shown things to write the book of Revelations, Paul also was shown things. It may have been when He was knocked off his horse or possibly when he was away in Arabia.
Paul was ready to be launched into a new career of a missionary to the gentiles and to write much of the New Testament. This “away” time was important.
What’s true of the king is true for the commoner. The Lord will pull us aside on occasion. Nothing as dramatic as Paul’s, but the Lord cares for and knows us. We might need refreshment or possibly a preparation for a different stage in our lives. Mark 6:31,32 says, “And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves”.
Lord, thank You that You know us and love us. Thank You for the rest and preparation that You provide.