Now at this point one of two scenarios will happen: There is either a good chance he will kill you, or something really amazing will happen. This is exactly what happened to a disciple named Ananias. There are only eight verses concerning the life and mission of Ananias. But his role in carrying out God's plan would reach farther than he could imagine. God spoke to him and told him to go to Damascus and see Saul. The same Saul who had persecuted and killed hundreds of Christians. The same Saul who had just stoned the disciple Stephen to death. Ananias was called to help the Bin Laden of his time.
Can you imagine the fear he experienced about what he was called to do. In Acts 9:13 Ananias responds to God by saying, "Uh Lord you do know who this guy is right?" "I've heard of all the terrible things he has done, and how he has the authority to hunt Christians down." Can you blame him for being afraid? How many of us would not argue, or much less go if this was asked of us? God tells him that Saul will be used to reach the Gentiles and kings and children of Israel. So Ananias goes. His faith resides in the fact that no matter what happens, he knows God is in control.
God does not get offended or remove Ananias from the plan when he asked questions, he knew it was going to be a stretch, but he also knew Ananias’ willingness to go forward, even at risk to himself. So what is happening with these two times God is getting into people’s lives? There is a realization that happens, and it is a lesson I think everyone needs to learn and it starts with something very simple. Are you ready for it? There is a God, and it is not you.
This is the realization that comes every time that someone has a meeting with God, and God tends to do a few things through it, but the first thing that has to happen is we have to stop putting ourselves in that position. You see, we all have ambitions and desires in life, and we all are trying to figure out how to reach our full potential, and we make all these plans and work so hard at it, and we get more and more frustrated and angry and so we push harder. This is the story of Saul, who worked so hard to maximize his potential and was so full of anger and not as successful as he thought he was. That is to one degree or another all of us.
When we come face to face with God, part of who we were, the old us, has to be destroyed in order for things to change. In order to change, God also calls someone else to be a part of it all. We often talk about how we wish we could have a face to face with God, we could come into his presence, but the truth is, coming into the presence of God has some big effects, ones we can see in what it did to Saul. It destroyed something, it humbled him, it changed his plans, changed what he knew of himself and how he interacted with God. Another thing that we talk about is how God is in our midst when we gather together. If that is the case, and we are seeking to meet with him, are we ready and willing to have this happen? Because that is God’s agenda, and being open, as Ananias was, to the action of God, can have some pretty powerful repercussions, both for our own lives and what God is doing throughout the world. Another question we must ask ourselves is, are we willing to be that one that is called into uncomfortable circumstances to bring someone else to the identity and mission God has for them?
So why did God send Ananias? Other than these few sentences nothing is known of this disciple. Why not send Peter? He was the main disciple that Saul was after. Why not use this as a sign for both? You see, God had a much deeper meaning for sending Ananias; one that Saul would fully understand. Ananias in Hebrew means, "the grace of God." So the first thing Saul saw, and the vessel used to bring Saul's sight back, was The Grace Of God!
