Blinded by the Light

Acts 9:1-19

9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ 5 He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’… 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ He answered, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ 11 The Lord said to him, ‘Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.’ 13 But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.’ 15 But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; 16 I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’ 17 So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul[b] and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

There are two conversions in this passage.

Saul was opposed to the good news about Jesus and sought to use force to stop the spread of the good news, to stop people following Jesus. He was going to Damascus taking his persecution tour on the road, spreading it from Judah to Syria. On the road to Damascus Jesus confronted Saul, “Why are you persecuting me?” – and the rest, as they say, is history. Unable to see Saul was led by the hand into Damacus and taken to a hotel where he was left with nothing to do but reflect on this shattering experience. For it was a shattering experience, the Jesus who Saul said was not risen from the dead was alive and has spoken to Saul. Saul’s whole world was in crisis. For three days he did not eat, as he remained unable to see. Life for Saul had stopped following the pattern he had planned.

In the second paragraph (vs. 10-19) Ananias required a conversion as well. He followed Jesus, he served God, and Ananias believed God had made a fundamental error. How could God send him, Ananias, to see Saul? Saul huddled, unable to see, in a hotel room was a good thing, because he could not arrest any of the followers of Jesus if he stayed there. But God’s instructions were clear, Ananias was to go see Saul and show Saul care and compassion. When Ananias heard this he objected, but God would not discuss the objections. God had a plan and would see it through. Saul would be changed into a preacher of the Jesus’ story, and Ananias would be changed as well, into someone who recognized that God had plans no one could see.      

Who do we assume could not be saved? Who in your life, extended family, do you think is undeserving of God’s grace and mercy? Pray for them – pray for yourself to be changed.

PRAYER:

O Lord, we are quick to pray for the conversion of people who have wandered far from You and from the way You want people to live their lives. We are not so quick to pray for our own conversion to be people who live the pattern of your Son, Jesus Christ. Change and shape our lives that we would offer your grace to all we meet, especially those closest to us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.