30 Days - Day 18

Day 18

Acts 9:10-18

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”
And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

One of the best known stories in Acts has just taken place. An angry Saul on the road to Damascus meets the risen Christ. He is shown how he has been persecuting Jesus. He realizes how wrong he has been even in all his zeal toward the law and his pursuit of religion. Now he is blind and in solitude. He is left to his thoughts and realizations about himself, his life and his relationship to God. He is praying! Perhaps he is praying that so much of his wasted life might be redeemed. He is perhaps praying that he might undo some of the damage he had done to the church through his persecutions of it. He has realized grace and its importance and meaning has not been lost on him. And so he prays and waits for God. He waits for what God has begun to show him awaits him in the coming days and years. He waits for the answers to his prayers and God’s promises.

Across town there is another man. God is speaking to him. He is telling him that he has something for him to do. He wants him to go to a man called Saul. He wants him to lay hands on Saul and heal him. God tells him that Saul is praying! He tells him that Saul has seen a vision of him coming to heal him. Basically, God is telling him that he is an answer to prayer.

What an amazing thing. To be used by God to be an answer to someone’s prayer. Perhaps you have experienced this or heard stories about it. The missionary that arrives in some isolated village or town only to find that he has been long expected and waited for. The person that hears God tell them to take a gallon of milk to a certainly family only to find that they were praying for provision.

Yet often being the answer to someone’s prayer is not an easy thing. Pride, fear or disbelief must often first be overcome. In this passage we see nothing different. Ananias has heard of Saul. Actually he has heard a good bit about Saul and to walk into the house in which he is staying and proclaim that he, as a follower of “the Way”, is here to heal Saul. If he is mistaken, if he has misheard, he will have just earned a one way trip to jail, the whipping post or worse. And so he lays his concerns before the Lord, but God says “go”. Being obedient Ananias goes. In going he becomes an answer to prayer, an encouragement to Saul and an example of obedience. This is an example, which is not lost on Saul. For we see that immediately following Ananias’ act of obedience that Saul also follows with an act of obedience... he is baptized.

We don’t just have the opportunity to pray. We also have the opportunity to be answers to prayer as God directs. However, this often means for us some kind of sacrifice. It might be time. It might be resources. It might be giving up something we want for something far greater (though unseen). It might mean dying to self. It might mean dying to fear and doubt so that we will be obedient. But, in obedience we might just find that we will be an encouragement and example to others as well as a blessing and the answer to someone’s prayer.

Day 18 Prayer Requests

1) Julia - came down with a fever and congestion last night, perhaps a reaction to vaccinations or a virus
2) For Jim as he prepares to preach this Sunday
3) For physical and spiritual protection, health and strength for our family - this week has been more difficult in many ways and we value your prayers on our behalf - that God might be glorified in our weakness
4) For Barbara - Olya helped her with English, student who may be interested in being part of the student Bible study we plan to start in October (may study in Ljubljana or Maribor doesn't know yet).
5) For Darja - will be helping us with the student study - also has a difficult & important exam this coming Monday