Acts 9:18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.
Saul of Tarsus who became Paul the Apostle had a dramatic encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything (Acts 9:3,8&9). Saul was not only plotting to persecute the early church but he was breathing ‘murderous threats’, meaning he was vigorously executing his vicious plans of homicide. However, God chose to interject Saul’s mission to hound and harass Christians, and transformed Saul, the murderer, into Paul, the missionary for Christ. In the remarkable encounter, a light from heaven flashed around Saul and blinded his physical eyes for three days. The Lord God darkened the world around him, and illuminated the eyes of his heart. The spiritual eyes of Saul were enlightened to the truth, and his vision changed. He no longer saw the early church as rebels of the Mosaic Law, but as brothers who have unveiled the truth of the Torah.
Physical eyes take in light from the world around us and send visual information to our brain to form images, but the spiritual eyes take the light from the heart to visualize the world around us.
The principle of closing our eyes to pray can be drawn from this incident in the Bible. The Lord forcefully shut the eyes of Saul in order to illuminate the eyes of his heart. When his sight was shut to the outside world he was able to visualize the world through the light from within. Closing our eyes deactivates our worldly distraction, and helps us to ruminate on God’s Word. Closing our eyes turns our focus from the carnal to the divine.
Closed Eyes:
1. Close: Closed eyes can have a positive effect on us when we pray. It is important to shut our eyes to worldly, canny, and cunning views when we pray. Reflecting on God’s Word will redirect our thoughts and fortify our faith on godly principles. In Saul’s encounter with Jesus, the radiance from God’s voice darkened the fanatical zeal and rewired Paul with the love of God.
2. Create: Closed eyes create divine images and imaginations. As long as we are focused on the threats and treachery in this world we will not be able to see the truth of God’s word. The best revelation of God’s nature is revealed in the quiet prayer closet with closed eyes.
3. Candor: Closed eyes open the forum for candor conversation with the Lord God. “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied (Acts 9:5).
Close your eyes when you commune with God so that He can enlighten the eyes of your heart to divine secrets.
Acts 9:4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus, enlighten the eyes of my heart and enlarge the divine vision as I close my eyes in prayer. Amen.
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