Devo: Against The Goads

Acts 9:1-5 reads, “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

I just read to you from the New King James Version, but I originally ran across this passage in the King James Version, which made verse 5 catch my attention. In the KJV, Jesus says, “It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” I had no clue what a “prick” was, so I decided to look into it. That’s when I went to the New King James and was still confused because I had the slightest idea of what a “goad” was. So I Googled them both. A prick, in this context, is a spiked stick used for driving oxen. And of course it’s basically the same thing for a goad. This tool is used to steer the animal in the desired direction that the farmer wishes to go. If an ox resisted or kicked back, it could result in more pain from the goad. So with that being said, what did Jesus mean when He told Saul that’s it hard for him to kick against the goads?

Jesus uses this metaphor to illustrate Saul’s resistance to God’s will. Saul was passionately persecuting Christians, thinking he was serving God, when in reality, he was resisting the true work of God’s Spirit. The goad was used to steer oxen, so kicking it only caused more pain and was pointless. Spiritually, this phrase shows that resisting God's guidance is pointless and only causes self-inflicted pain. We learn that submitting to God’s guidance - even if it initially seems challenging - leads to growth and fulfillment. When we oppose God’s will, we often face unnecessary struggles and hardships. Just as a farmer uses goads to guide oxen for a greater purpose, God uses circumstances and challenges to steer us toward His divine purpose. Ultimately, the phrase is an invitation to surrender our resistance and pride. We can learn from this that allowing God to lead us leads to spiritual clarity and purpose, as seen in Saul’s transformation into the Apostle Paul. 

Let’s consider areas of our life where we might resist God’s guidance and embrace His direction with trust and humility, knowing that His path leads to satisfaction and peace. Thank you for talking with me. Let’s walk with Him.