Acts 9:1-22
New International Version (NIV)
9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous
threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and
asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any
there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as
prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey,
suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to
the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?”
Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now
get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling
with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 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. 9 For three days he was
blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was
a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him,
“Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus
named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man
named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias
answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has
done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here
with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to
Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the
Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will
show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias went to
the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul,
the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has
sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately,
something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up
and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained
his strength.
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At
once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All
those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised
havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here
to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul
grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving
that Jesus is the Messiah.
Have you
ever wondered how God could have chosen you to be His ambassador? Well, don’t pride yourself too much in that
thought, as you read here, he chose the lowest of low to do the same. Saul was the man who stood and watched as
Stephen was stoned to death, he was also the one who made it his mission to
persecute Christians. Could you imagine one of the people who beheaded a group
of Christians just recently, becoming ambassadors of Christ? This shows how much we should not discount
people but rather pray for them.
I have
to think of the Burnham’s, the missionaries whose vacation was interrupted by
cruel men kidnapping them and treating them horribly. As I read their story, I realized that Mr.
Burnham never gave up on sharing the love of Christ with his captures. You never know who might be used of God to
proclaim His love to others. He
ultimately lost his life on this earth during his rescue but he never lost his
faith in the Christ who saved him eternally.
I am
certainly right there with Ananias who questioned God’s motives in healing the
man who persecuted those who proclaimed Christ.
It is important to notice though that Ananias, although skeptical, did
what he had been asked to do and showed tremendous faith in the process. Because of his bold step in faith many others
believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because of his bold faith we are able to read how this man name Saul,
became Paul, and encouraged many in the church to remain faithful to their Lord
and Savior. In fact, even today, the
words given to him by God are used to encourage the church.
Saul
could have been rejected by the Christian people, been an outcast forever, but
rather the people listened to God and trusted Him in His ways. Saul suffered for his wrongdoings but he
suffered gladly for the sake of Christ.
As you seek Him today may you find him revealing Himself to you in ways
far better than you could have ever imagined.
May through your suffering you find joy.
Seeking
His with all my heart,
Sheila
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