Today’s Reading: Acts 9:1-25

13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem…”
Acts 9:13

You can almost hear Ananias pleading with God. 

Put yourself in the text. Imagine yourself as Ananias. This moment comes right after the famous conversion of Saul on the Damascus Road. There, Saul, soon to be renamed Paul, meets Jesus, and hears him say to go into Damascus. Jesus then goes to Ananias and instructs him to go visit with Saul. To this, Ananias pleads the words of the verse above. 

And he’s not wrong to do so! Saul has done much evil. Remember him from just a few chapters ago, and from last Thursday’s Think, Pray, Do, standing and commending the stoning of Stephen? This is but one example of the evil of Saul against the Christians. 

Let’s also note that Ananias is brave! Some people throughout scripture who questioned God’s call did not fare well! Many other characters receive a stern rebuke from God, who basically says to them, “who do you think you are to question me?!” 

Luke moves us, the reader, through this text pretty quickly, but let’s dwell here a minute. Putting ourselves in the place of the character is helpful for interpretation. It allows us to see and experience as the character would, enlivening the text and opening our eyes and hearts in new and profound ways. For me, I imagine myself as Ananias annoyed at this unexpected interruption, confounded by why God would want me to help this evil person, and probably scared to go meet the man, for then he would know that I am one of these Christians he’s trying to root out.

But, Ananias does as he’s told and discovers Saul, blind, and changed. Through the Holy Spirit, Ananias restores Saul’s sight. But again, put yourself in Ananias’s shoes. After Ananias has had this encounter with Saul, what do you imagine he thinks and feels as he walks away from the house on Straight Street?

In my mind’s eye, I think Ananias discovered what so many from across scripture discovered: God’s choice of people to be God’s “instruments” (v. 15) is often surprising, confounding, and the least of these. 

Think
Put yourself in Ananias’s shoes. How do you feel? What do you think? What would your response be to God? 

Pray
Ask God for the courage to respond willingly when a challenging call comes your way.

Do
Consider a time when you’ve known God to make use of someone unexpected. 

Think, Pray, Do. As we respond in faith to scripture, God moves in power through our minds, hearts, and bodies. We are the people of God. Thanks for reading today. Go in peace. Amen.

Think, Pray, Do devotionals by Ted Goshorn follow the suggested bible reading plan from his website and book, Prayer Changes Us. Find this Bible reading plan at tedgoshorn.org/biblereading. If you have found today’s devotion helpful, don’t forget to subscribe for daily emails at tedgoshorn.org and share with others that we may think, pray, and do faithfully.