June 13th

'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. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again." "But Lord," exclaimed Ananias, "I've heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name." 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. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake."' (Acts of the Apostles 9:11-16 NLT)

Ananias, God's instrument. God told Ananias to reach out to Saul. God had already begun Saul's heart-transformation, but this story needs an Ananias. This guy Saul had struck fear in all of the believers in the entire region. He was out to get them. He believed that he was doing God's work in protecting Judaism as he knew it. He was well trained in all of the Jewish texts, and he was brought up to be a leader in the Jewish faith. He was young, and stubborn, and sent on a mission by the leading priests, including Caiaphas and Annas, the Chief Priest. These followers of the Way were upsetting the Jewish religious apple-cart. Saul took it upon himself to stop it. Ananias knew what Saul had been up to, everybody did. So of course, when God gives him this particular instruction, he questions it. He is scared for his life. He is scared for the lives of all his brothers and sisters in Christ. But if Saul was going to become God's instrument, someone needed to reach out to him, to be the first to say they believed God was transforming him. This non-leader, or maybe "insignificant" guy from Damascus would be a tool of God. He wasn't one of the big name players. He wasn't one of the Apostles. He was just a guy who believed, and God used him to reach out to someone that needed his help. The point I wanted to make here really has nothing to do with Saul, and nothing to do with how huge this was for the foundation of Christianity and the spread of the Gospel, the point here is you don't have to be a Scott Taylor or a Billy Graham or a Charles Stanley to be used by God. Ananias was just a regular guy, not even a teacher as far as we know, but when God prompted him to go and help somebody he didn't even know, he accepted the challenge. God had to convince him, because of the gravity of the situation, but he still listened and went. And all he did was make himself available for God to use him. Throughout history, the way that God's kingdom has been advanced was not from people bringing others to Church, although that sometimes works, but God's kingdom is advanced when Steve, or Nikkie or Apryl or Kenny or John or Travis or Louise or YOU, listen for God to speak, make themselves available, and be a friend when someone is in need. If we make ourselves available and willing to do whatever it is that God is whispering in our ear to do, that is when God will use us.

Sent from my iPad