And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and
laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who
appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your
sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." – Acts 9.17
Poor Saul must have been in quite a state. Until recently he was bold
and confident and zealous about doing what he saw as God’s work – wiping out
The Way.
But now he was part of The Way and on the way to heaven. What is he
supposed to do next?
God graciously spoke to a disciple named Ananias. God told Ananias to go
talk to Saul. Ananias was petrified. ‘Lord, I've heard about this guy! I know
all the evil he has done to the saints.’
‘Go anyway,’ God said 'he is the one I have chosen to preach Jew and Gentiles and
kings.’
If anybody ever had to cause to say ‘are you sure God?’ it was Ananias.
But he went anyway.
And when he saw him his first words were ‘Brother Saul.’
Ananias is one of those forgotten saints. We don’t think about him much.
But he is a hero of the faith. He had the courage to walk up a great enemy of
the church and say ‘Brother Saul.’ I hope that I would have that kind of
courage.
And what was the first thing Brother Saul did? 'Immediately he
preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.'
1 comment:
"he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him," Hebrews 7:25
Thank you for this reminder that God can forgive and save the world's #1 sinner... and when he does, who are we to turn away from that person?
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