Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: ROAD (05/19/22)
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TITLE: My Curriculum Vitae | Previous Challenge Entry
By Robert Rutaagi
05/26/22 -
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I am from Tarsus, Syria.
I am a devout Benjaminite,
From ‘’the stock of Israel,’’
A pious descendant of Jacob
Piously named after King Saul.
I am a Roman Citizen, Hebrew and Pharisee,
Almnus of Tarsus University.
In scholarship, Gabaliel spoilt me,
With law and Jewish traditions galore.
At the pinnacle of my legal practice,
A little known carpenter, Joseph
Betrothed a little known damsel, Mary
And both conspired to bear a little son
From a little known town of Nazareth -
From a manger, bore the little known Messiah!
When the campaign hit Tarsus City,
I, Saul, was deeply incensed,
From my cranium to my toes!
Oh Abraham, Isaac, Jacob!
Are you, surely, resting in peace?
My intelligence, viciously attacked!
My Gabalielian law boiled to evaporation point.
Enabling environment:
The intricate odds against Jesus,
Threatened Religious and political leaders,
The deep resentment and ambitions boiling in me –
All conspired to galvanise me into dangerous actions.
Given and armed with instruments of authority,
With my anointed gang, I hit the journey to Damascus.
Mission? To kill, arrest, take to prison…, followers of Jesus.
Suddenly, between Jerusalem and Damascus,
At midday, I, Paul, was struck by a burning light –
Much stronger than the sunlight I ever knew!
Instantly, I, Saul, fell onto the ground.
‘’Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’’
The voice said.
‘’Who are you, my Lord?’’ I asked, ineffably frightened.
‘’ I am Jesus,’’ the voice answered.
As I lay on that Damascus highway,
I, Saul, with all my Tarsusian sophistication –
Roman Citizenry, Hebrew culture, Phariseesm,
Gabalielian legal training
Benjaminite legacy,
I, surely and literally felt a Saul, le Petit!
That Damascus moment that was –
From my cranium to my toes;
That Christian voice from Heaven did it all!
As I, Saul, was lifted up from my prostration,
I felt like a bird’s feather ready to be blown away.
It was like I had been lying in bed in Tarsus,
And was waking up after a vivid dream!
As I slept, a major surgery was done and completed.
An eloquent voice, in me, whispered, ‘’It is finished.’’
As I, Saul, blind and frightened, was led into Damascus City,
Aided to walk like I was born disabled, I felt small, literally.
Ananias’ baptism and restoration of my sight acted like a switch.
What a Damascus operation that was!!!
I, Paul, instantly, felt like a generator had been installed into me!
And a transformer, in me, was regulating me, process by process.
I felt and even saw thermometers and switches at work all around me.
Metric tons of joy and peace flowed in and around me like rivers.
From the moment Ananias baptised me and restored my sight,
I, Paul, felt totally transformed.
Joy and peace descended upon and filled me.
Wisdom, knowledge, and discernment flowed within me.
Energy vibrated all over me – I walked like I had springs in my limbs.
The thoughts came easily and blissfully.
Whatever actions I did blessed me or did others.
As these miraculous grace and signs followed me,
On my journeys to preach the gospel,
Challenges, too, abounded everywhere.
Disciples doubted my legitimacy,
My persecutees doubted my sincerity,
Fellow Romans and religious friends doubted my integrity.
Consequently, tragedies followed me like flies following meat!
I, Saul, was beaten, imprisoned, stoned, betrayed by fellow men,
Shipwrecked, denied food, denied shelter and food and much more.
My social status and intellectual capacity notwithstanding,
I, Paul, was biologically feeble. 2 Cor. 10:10.
Born with a thorn-stigma that haunted my entire life.
And psychologically compromised, all my life!
My zeal, tenacious ambitions, fastidiousness for learning –
All were compensatory mechanism to cope with treacherous life.
All these made me an evil ‘’persecutor of Christians beyond measure!’’
By His grace, Jesus, the Saviour,
In the same way He saved mankind by Calvary exchange,
He saved me by Damascus experience, which made me
‘’An expert of Christology by inspiration,’’ not by experience,
Like that of His Disciples.
By this inspiration alone, not by my own power,
I was enabled, by grace and Holy Spirit power,
To preach the gospel with greater zeal than I persecuted the same gospel.
As my fellow learned Colleagues love to say: ‘’ My Lord, I rest my case’’.
By [Pseudonym] ‘’Saul [Paul] of Tarsus, Syria.’’
Biblical [With Tit bits of Fiction] – The Story of Paul. Acts 9:1-22.
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