02
"No Freeze Drying!"
Carl HigashiActs 9:13-16
But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Thy saints at Jerusalem;and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Thy name."But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake."
Ananias was a disciple of Christ. He was a man chosen by God to present the Gospel to the most notorious persecutor (Saul) of Christians at the time. Jesus told him in a vision, he responds to Him saying that Saul has done many evil things against the disciples in Jerusalem. Ananias reminds Jesus that Saul has the authority from the high priest to bind all who call Jesus Lord.
But Jesus tells Ananias, go for he is chosen to share the gospel to the Gentiles and the kings and sons of Israel. Saul will then be shown how much he must suffer for Jesus’ name.
In-spite of all what is true and what Ananias knew about Saul, he chooses to follow in faith, Jesus’ directions to pray for Saul and heal his blindness, that he might then be used mightily as God’s chosen instrument to spread His word.
I love the faith of Ananias! He is a man who hears God and obeys. He chooses to FEAR GOD and follows His directions, rather than be overcome by the terrible “true” stories that he has heard about Saul and his persecution of believers.
Ananias does a couple things to turn a notorious persecuting non-believer to a convert and super-apostle in Paul, here is my application:
- Don’t “freeze dry people.” May I always have faith that God can touch and change person.
- Trust in God and obey what He tells me to do.
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving your life for the plan of redemption of your people to happen. Just as You prayed Father forgive them for they not know what they are doing, inspite of our sin, you chose to follow what God had planned. You chose not to judge or “freeze dry” the people in their sin, but instead trusting fully the instructions you were given gave your life.
Lord I love You, help me to never “freeze dry” anyone, as You are the hope for the world, may I always have faith to extend that same hope to others, that they might be saved and transformed
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
