We are in our 16th day and continuing on from the story of Saul we looked at yesterday in Acts ch. 9
Yesterday we had Important Questions and Simple Answers
and today we have more questions and more answers.
Verses 10-16 introduce us to another person who heard the Lord speak to him - Ananias.
This time questions and answers are from both sides in this conversation and in a way it feels like it was a comfortable conversation between friends with no surprise and no question of who Ananias was hearing from, he knew it was the Lord.
It is interesting to note here that the name Ananias means "God is Gracious"
Although bad news had gone around about Saul here was a good recommendation from Jesus in verses 15 & 16 because He knew the potential in Saul for the spread of the Gospel and the growth of the church.
Paul also later in Acts ch.22 refers to Ananias as godly and devout with a good testimony among the people.
Although bad news had gone around about Saul here was a good recommendation from Jesus in verses 15 & 16 because He knew the potential in Saul for the spread of the Gospel and the growth of the church.
We serve the same God so there is no reason why we cannot recognise God's voice too.
Do we?
Or do we not go out with the prompting of God?
Looking back to verses 8 & 9 it is clear that Saul after meeting with the Lord was left sightless so he was in darkness and remained that way for 3 days. No distraction, so presumably he had all that time to think on who he had heard from and what was said.
But verses 17 & 18 make the difference.
Ananias goes straight away as the Lord directed him to the exact house, finds Saul and tells him who sent him and the reason why he was sent and the darkness Saul was in disappears and he experiences the true light and the cleansing of his sin.
No doubt, no hesitation, just action on the part of Ananias
and also
no doubt, just acceptance on the part of Saul.
Our last verse for today is verse 19 which is often overlooked in this passage but should not be as it shows us something very important that Saul did.
"So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus."
Saul spent time with the disciples before anything else.
Yes the first thing he did was to stay with the people who were already believers and he could learn from them.
Saul may have had this dramatic & dynamic conversion and was now a believer but he also needed to know more about Jesus and become a disciple.
