Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
Acts 9:10-16 ESV
I really like the story of Saul’s conversion and call. God sure has a way of turning things around. He transformed this relentless persecutor of the church into the most enthusiastic evangelist. In the process, he used a guy named Ananias, who we know to have been a good and godly man (Acts 22:12), to deliver healing and the baptism of the Spirit to Saul. We don’t know what Ananias did for a living or if he held any official ministry position. We just know he was a disciple and had a good reputation.
When Ananias heard the Lord tell him to pray for Saul of Tarsus, he argued with Him. That’s right, he questioned the wisdom of helping Saul. This shows me that Ananias was someone who prayed often and was at ease talking to the Lord, even in this amazing setting. He didn’t know Saull personally, but he’d heard a lot about him, and what he’d heard was true! Saul had already done a lot of damage to the Church and was on his way to doing more. The Lord, however, had further information. He was aware of Saul’s conversion and his future. He was totally unfazed by his history.
As you get ready for church today, try to take something away from this story. First, God can use you even if you’re not in an official “ministry” position. He uses everyday people to make an impact on history all the time. Secondly, if you feel the Lord is speaking to you, it is perfectly fine to discuss these things with Him. He won’t get upset, and he’ll let you know what you need to know. Finally, don’t let what happened in the past, whether it’s your own experience or someone else’s, affect how you see the possibilities for the future. I believe that God can change people. I mean really make a difference in their lives. He’s trying to change you and then use you to do the same for others. Have a great Sunday!
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