In the first 19 verses of Acts chapter 9, we see the dramatic conversion of Saul or Tarsus, whom we will see renamed as Paul here soon.  This story is a great story to read, and it illuminates 2 big ideas as I am reading it.

First, it is hard to overstate this, but this story is proof that God is going to do what God is going to do.  There are some things in life where I think God may be a little more malleable in how things go - I think God does answer and respond to prayer based on my experience and my point of view, and I don’t want to get into the question of whether God is really responding or whether God orchestrated the prayer that He could answer it and all of that...but I think God responds.  That being said, there are some major things that God puts in place to guide and direct the course of time, and Paul is a great example.   Paul was going to become a part of history as a Christian evangelist, and there wasn’t anything Paul could do to get around that.  Sometimes God just makes things happen...what a great example!

Second, looking at Ananias’ role in this story, it kind of goes back to what we drew from the reading yesterday about Philip, and us never really knowing what hangs in the balance of our faithfulness.  Ananias, almost in comedic fashion, questions God about this “Saul of Tarsus” that he’s heard about, and that’s been killing Christians, and God reassures him that he should go and do what God’s asked, to go meet Paul.  I mean, talk about an act of faith!  2 chapters ago Paul was stoning Stephen in the streets.  Ananias wouldn’t have known about this dramatic conversion of Paul at this point, he probably didn’t hear about that until he started talking to Paul and Paul started telling him the story of his conversion.  Ananias is just another example of what faithfulness to a request from God can bring.

Today, I pray that I would have the vision to see those areas of my life where God is forcing His way, so that I might just go ahead and relinquish control and not waste my time and energy pushing back.  And , like yesterday, I pray that I would recognize those moments when I have a choice as to whether or not to lean into a decision where God is prompting me one way vs. another, and that I would be courageous enough to go where I am led.  This often requires that I carve out time to pray, to relax, and to create margin in my life...which are things that I typically have to be intentional about, because none of that comes naturally to me!