TUESDAY April 25, 2023
The Man God Uses
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.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
Acts 9:17-18
Ananias entered the house where Saul was to be found, and I am sure his heart was beating very hard as he came face to face with the man who was known for persecuting the Church. As Ananias prayed, Saul received his sight. One of Saul’s first acts of obedience was to be baptized.
Notice, Ananias was just a certain disciple, an ordinary person, whom God chose to use to lay hands on Saul so that he could receive his sight. God did not call any of the other known Apostles, Peter, James or John––he called Ananias––a man who heard and obeyed the voice of God.
The name Ananias means “Jehovah is gracious.” He is also mentioned in Acts 22:12-16, when Paul the Apostle gave his testimony:
“Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him. Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ ”
The man God uses must have a good testimony and be devoutly committed to Him. God knows He can give a man with these qualities a task to do, knowing that it will be accomplished. Seriously, God can use any ordinary disciple in the body of Christ to do His bidding.
Embedded in the larger story of redemption is a principle we must not miss: God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things in the lives of others.
~Paul David Tripp~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
