TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 9:10-19
TO CHEW ON: "But the Lord said to Ananias, 'Go.'” Acts 9:15
Saul had a reputation. Followers of Jesus (Christians) knew him as someone who showed no mercy. Imagine Ananias’s (not the same Ananias as “Ananias and Sapphira”) surprise when God told him, in a vision, to go to Straight Street in Damascus and pray for Saul, his dangerous enemy.
At first Ananias argued, “God, You can’t mean that! Don’t you know who this man is?”
But God’s answer to Ananias was “Go.” For God knew what had happened to Saul three days before. He didn’t tell Ananias that it would be safe. He just asked Annanias to obey. So Annanias went.
When he got to the house, Ananias didn’t meet the dangerous persecutor Saul he expected. Instead he met the blind and helpless baby Christian Saul.
Ananias put his hands on Saul’s shoulders. “Brother Saul,” he said, “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."
Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes. He could see again! He asked to be baptized, ate some food and began his life as a Christian.
It’s important that, like Ananias, we obey God when He gives us an assignment. We may not understand why God wants us to do something. But we can be sure that He is at work preparing the person or the situation for our words or our help.
PRAYER: Dear God, please give me the courage to obey You, even when what You ask me to do doesn’t make sense. Amen.
MORE: Visions
God spoke to Ananias in a vision.
1. How might a vision be different than a dream?
2. Here are some more vision stories from the Bible:
- A man’s mouth is touched by an angel carrying a hot coal - Isaiah 6:1-8
- A man sees God’s protecting army - 2 Kings 6:15-17
- A man gets a glimpse of heaven - Acts 7:55-56
3. Do you think God still gives people visions today? Why do you think as you do?