LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Have you or I ever closely considered how much was being required of the disciple Ananias in Damascus (Acts Chapter 9 of New Testament) when he was instructed by the Lord to go to the assistance of Saul of Tarsus? Saul, the archenemy of the young, fledgling church had been praying and had seen Ananias in a vision laying hands on him to regain his sight. After beginning this chapter out of breath from his angry exertions against the church but not bothering to pause to catch his breath, Saul had been “knocked off his high horse” literally by Jesus and blinded in the process. Ananias knows how hostile Saul had been to the believers and he is having to risk his own life and safety now at the word of the Lord, in complete trust as he goes to Saul. He is having to release a captured lion from his cage of containment. The first one this bold lion would lay eyes on after regaining his sight would be Ananias himself! And, indeed, through the obedient touch of Ananias, Saul’s sight would be restored and he would be filled with the Spirit and baptized in a matter of moments.
The one who carried letters from the high priest to persecute believers was now being mobilized toward a ministry that would bring letters from the true High Priest Jesus Christ to His churches, writing what would constitute almost half of the entire New Testament! (There seem always to be hints of our callings in the circumstances of how we came to first believe in Jesus.) Imagine being used of God for such an assignment as Ananias was for the healing, equipping and baptizing of such a spiritual giant as would be Paul the apostle. What a challenge and what an initial risk, but what a privilege! May this example of Ananias and Saul help us put in perspective any task assigned to us that seems daunting at the moment. We don't know for example what future ministry we may be facilitating unknowingly or the impact it might have over time.