Having a task that could very easily be life-threatening is not something anyone would like on their to-do list for the day! Most of us would probably try to get out of doing that assignment. What if that task came from God? Some of us might still try to get out of it. Others might argue or debate with Him about it. And some of us might go ahead, with fear and trepidation. In our Scripture today we will meet a man who was given just such an assignment from the Lord. Let’s take a look at what that was, and how he handled it.
Ananias was a devout believer in the Lord Jesus, and he lived in the city of Damascus, a city about 135 miles north of Jerusalem. Other than that, we don’t know much about him, as he is only mentioned in this one chapter in the Book of Acts. Perhaps Ananias would travel to Jerusalem for the holy days, such as Passover, as it would only have been a few days' journey, and while there heard Jesus speak, and came to believe in Him.
One day Ananias received a message from the Lord, telling him to go to a certain house in the city where a man named Saul of Tarsus was at, and there lay his hands on him and pray, so that his sight would be restored. Ananias had heard of this man! Saul’s name had been spoken of among the believers in Damascus with fear, as Saul, a Pharisee, would arrest Christians, and see that they were put to death. He had done so in Jerusalem, and was coming to Damascus to do the same. Ananias was naturally fearful and spoke honestly with the Lord about this (vs. 10-14). The Lord reassured Ananias that this was, indeed, what He wanted him to do, as Saul (later known as Paul) had been chosen by God to spread the Gospel of Jesus to the world (vs. 15-16). Though probably still somewhat fearful, Ananias trusted the Lord, and immediately obeyed Him, going to where Paul was and prayed for and with him. Afterwards he assisted while Paul was baptized (vs. 17-18).
A few days earlier Paul had been on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians, and see to it that they might be put to death. Then he met Jesus, who literally knocked him off of his horse (vs. 1-5). When Paul asked who He was, Jesus told Him, and asked why he was persecuting Him. There is an inseparable union between Jesus and His followers. When Paul persecuted the Church, he was persecuting Jesus.
Jesus told him to stop kicking against the goad (vs. 5). That might seem like an odd thing to say. Let’s look at what that means. A goad is a pole, usually made of wood, and is sharp at one end. Farmers use it to prod cattle. God had been prodding Paul for a long time. Being a contemporary of Jesus, and living in Jerusalem at the same time, Paul could easily have heard Jesus preach and teach on occasion. He could have been among the many Pharisees who confronted Him.
God kept prodding and nudging Paul, but Paul kept resisting. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit doesn’t give up that easily. Just like a divine chess game, He worked Paul into a corner where he couldn’t escape, and then God said to him “Checkmate!” He got Paul exactly where He wanted him so that he would listen. Praise the Lord that Paul finally yielded to the pricking of God’s goad!
Each of us were once headed in the wrong direction, on our own Damascus Road. We were in rebellion towards God. God, though, will do whatever it takes to get our attention. We need to yield to Him, as Paul finally did. Paul had been blind, but now he saw the truth. He was once a persecutor of the Church, but became a preacher and teacher for Jesus.
As for Ananias, thankfully he had a ready and willing heart to obey God! He was a bit skeptical that Paul was now a believer, but he obeyed anyway. Sometimes the person we might feel is least likely to become a Christian does just that. Ananias was an ordinary Christian, just like you and me. God used him, and his obedience helped to bring one of the greatest of Christians into the fold. We never hear in the Bible of Ananias again. He was a humble believer and follower of Jesus who did what God asked, and then went back to his everyday Christian life.
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