Acts 9: 1-19a v 17 “So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said,” Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Saul was uttering threats with every breath and eager to kill the Lord’s followers. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, Lord?” asked Saul. “I am Jesus the one you are persecuting!” Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he was blind. So, his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. Now there was a believer in Damascus called Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision. So, Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said,” Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Instantly he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterwards he ate some food and regained his strength.
Sometimes we must be knocked down and then built up to regain our strength for the path God has chosen for us. Saul was fanatically trying to eradicate the believers of The Way, the name used for Jesus’s early followers. However, God had other plans for him. Jesus appeared as a light on the road and spoke directly to him. He became blind and needed to be led along the road to a house where he did not eat or drink for three days. Then Jesus sent someone to cure his blindness and from that moment on Saul became a believer.
Dramatic changes in our attitudes and our plans are part of everyone’s faith journey. Guided by the voice of Jesus. Sometimes from a vision, sometimes from a fellow believer, sometimes through quiet meditation on the words in the bible. There is a time when you must decide that you want to follow Jesus and then you change your plans because of it. And as you follow along other downtimes occur and readjustment take place. Sometimes you must be brought down to be built up. The only constant in that Jesus is there with you. Listen for his voice if you are in a down time and rejoice when you find your new direction.
Prayer: Heavenly Father who encourages us through your Son, help us to listen to His voice today and find our new direction. Amen.
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