Acts 9:11 And the Lord said to him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul… In a well-known seminary in New England, a notice was placed on the outside of the door of a room occupied by a student. "No admittance" was the legend inscribed in bold letters on the notice. The occupant of the room was not the kind of a man who would be likely to be so busy with his studies as to dread interruption, and he was, besides, a young man fond of society. His motive for affixing the notice was a mystery to most of the students. A few, however, understood it. A revival of religion was in progress in the seminary, and some young men interested in it had agreed together to visit every non-Christian member of the institution and plead for Christ personally with the individual soul. This young man had heard of the arrangement, and put up the notice to warn off his expected visitors. The little band of praying students resolved to test the virtue of prayer in opening the bolted door. Fervently they committed the case to God, entreating Him not only to unbar the door, but also and especially to unlock and take possession of the stubborn heart within the door. And never can they forget the thrill of wonder and joy which they felt when the message, "Behold, he prayeth!" was announced to them. While they were appealing to God one of their number knocked at the bolted door, and to his great surprise, as he listened for a response, heard the most earnest cries and sobs within. The Holy Spirit had evidently gained "admittance" not only into the room, but into the far more strongly bolted heart, and the bitter enemy of the revival was pleading for mercy. In a short time the door was opened, the "Notice" was removed, the praying student was welcomed; and the result was, that in a day or two the enemy joined the ranks of the friends of Christ. Parallel Verses KJV: And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, |
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