Tag Archives: Ananias

¹⁰ Now 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.”

¹³ “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.”

Acts 9:10-16

Dear God, I don’t know that I’ve ever spent enough time with Ananias. We started visiting a Baptist church when I was eight years old, and, to my memory, this is the first Sunday school lesson I heard. I could obviously be wrong. That was 46 years ago, and eight-year-olds aren’t known to carry the most accurate memories forward, but I can still picture the little Sunday school book that had each week’s lesson for the quarter, and I have vague recollections of what the pages and illustrations look like. The name Ananias is burned in my brain. Maybe the teacher stressed this point, but for some reason I remember thinking about how scared Ananias must have been.

I don’t know what you are calling me to do at any given moment. I don’t know whom you have for me to encourage, teach, serve, or even protect. But I know there are times when I am afraid of others. I know I don’t like to stick my head up and risk.

Going back to Ananias, he was already risking. In Acts 22, Paul describes him as being a respected Jewish person. So he had already stepped out and risked a lot just by believing in you. But then he was asked to risk imprisonment by offering himself freely to Saul’s presence. Ananias might have even been on someone’s list that would have been given to Saul when he got to town. And he questioned you. He made his fear known to you. In this case, you told him it would be alright. And it was through this plain, good man who was a believer that you helped Saul become Paul, and you made it clear to the Jewish members of The Way that people like me are loved by you as well. You used Ananias to help Paul so Paul could put things in motion to the point where you were able to convince me that you love me as well.

Father, I have no desire to do anything great. Well, that’s not true. There is a carnal part of me that would love to know I have made a real impact for you in the world, leading great numbers of people into deeper discipleship with you. But I also repent of that because it means a certain amount of glory for me, and I know that as soon as I start pursuing the idol of glory I will lose my grip on you, my God. So I ask that you will simply use me today, whether unwittingly or intentionally. Show me what you would have me do. Show me who to love. Show me how to love. And, of course, receive my worship. You are my God. I put my trust in you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen