“Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied.” Acts 9:10 (NLT)
Ananias was a Jesus follower. One day he was minding his own business sitting in his house and God spoke to him. When Ananias heard God call his name he replied with a “Yes, Lord!” The Lord then instructed him to go to help Saul.
Wait. What? Saul as in THE Saul that killed people who love you? The SAME Saul that was there when Stephen was stoned? The very Saul who has shouted threats against your people and is making it his life mission to go around killing us. That Saul?
Yes, that Saul.
Right at this point Ananias had a choice to make. He could take everything he knew about this guy and decide it’s too risky and obviously the Lord wouldn’t call him to do something so dangerous because God loved him and wouldn’t want him to put himself in such a risky position. Or, he could go.
Ananias must have really trusted God. Because in spite of the reality before him, in spite of knowing he could be arrested, thrown into prison and die, he went. He went because he trusted God. He went because he knew the Person behind the voice and he knew that no matter what was going to happen, God’s plan would be better. God’s purpose for his life would be fulfilled even in his death and that was what he lived for.
He got up, went to Saul, He laid his hands on him and prayed for him. He commissioned the man that would further the Christian faith like no other. Of course, he didn’t know all this at the time. Afterward, he went home and felt good that he did what God said (and he didn’t die.)
What about you? What is God asking you to do that you are afraid to do? Maybe, like Ananias, you should remember the God you know and follow his lead. Maybe there will be a kingdom impact beyond what seems humanly possible. You see, when we follow God and say “Yes, Lord!” the kingdom impact is always more than is humanly possible. It is God ordained.