Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ He answered, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ The Lord said to him, ‘Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.’ But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’ So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. (Acts 9:10-19a, NRSV)
Saul was doing what he was taught was the right thing to do…
He was met by the one whom he thought he was serving and was shown different…
Then Ananias gets sent to help Saul be the person God had created him to be, but Ananias is hesitant. And can you blame him?
Ananias knew Saul to be a harsh man to followers of the Way, Saul was persecuting followers of Jesus, and in some cases killing the followers. That is what he knew this man did to those who believed as he did. So why in Ananias’ right mind would he want to go someplace where Saul was?
Well that answer is easy, because God told him to go!
You see the truth is not always what we have learned, but is what is revealed to us in the light. We need the scales to come off and we need to follow God where He leads us!
When God calls us, we need to be ready to go! To follow Him because of the promises He has made to us, not because of what we “know to be the truth”!
aSacredRebel 