The Courage of Ananias
“There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, 'Ananias!' 'Yes, Lord!' he replied. 11 The Lord said, 'Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.'
'But Lord,' exclaimed Ananias, 'I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.' 15 But the Lord said, 'Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.'
So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized." Acts 9:10-18 (NLT)
Pastor's Blog:
I wonder if in vs. 15 we might be seeing God’s sense of humor.
Can you imagine? God wants to reach all the pagan world, not just Israel. So what’s He do? He chooses a hard line, fanatical, ultra nationalist, super-orthodox, Pharisaic Jew!!
Saul had been on mission to cause the suffering of the Jesus fanatics and now he is called not only to join them but to suffer on their behalf. God is the God of radical turn-arounds. In fact Saul (renamed Paul) will spend a life a suffering. So it is with Saul. So it is with Ananias. When God calls someone, said Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he bids them come and die. As with Saul and with Ananias, so with us.
My it never be said of any of us that we are in this thing (following Christ) for a comfortable life, human glory, power or wealth.
The story of Ananias is legendary among believers. This was his moment and he got it right.
The first Ananias was a hypocrite in his relations with God and man; the second Ananias was a reluctant but obedient-unto-death believer (as was Jesus in asking God for another way out- Mk 14:36). Which one am I most like?
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