Thank You, Father, for the blessing of a wonderful day spent with my love! What better way to fill my day! I would ask for Your guiding hand on my shoulder this evening. May the words that fill the page find Your inspiration from beginning to end. Amen.
Acts 9:10-19a (<<click here to read the passage)
In recent years Karen and I have developed a few acronyms that we use when texting each other. They are shortened versions of actual words but often that is all we need to communicate brief information. Some may be used by others, and some may be ours alone, I really don’t know.
A couple of them are, OMW – on my way, GM – got mail, and DU – door unlocked. They are just short bits of information, that make our lives a little easier.
Another one we use quite regularly is OB – Oh, brother! Sometimes this one is used with an emoji of a face rolling its eyes. Sometimes the face alone suffices. Often, it is in reaction to her orneriness. Anyone that knows her well, knows she can be ornery as all get out! (Of course, she never thinks that of me…wink, wink!)
In today’s passage, the Lord speaks to a faithful disciple by the name of Ananias, a resident of Damascus. We know he is a faithful disciple for when the Lord calls his name in a vision, his immediate response is, “Yes, Lord!” v10b

The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” vs11-12

Now understandably, where there was not the least bit of hesitation on Ananias’ part when the Lord called him, there is hesitation now! In essence, Ananias cries out, not in reference to orneriness but in fear, “Oh, brother!”

“But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”vs13-14 NLT

The Lord isn’t messing around, but responds with the command, “Go…” and Ananias obeys, for he trusts the Lord.
Interestingly enough, when he finds Saul, he doesn’t try to reach out to him with a ten-foot pole but approaches him boldly and in essence once more exclaims, “Oh, brother…” Where at first this was cried out with quite a bit of trepidation, this time he does so with the utmost of love and acceptance. His exact statement began with words, “Brother Saul…” v17
In the family of God, they were not enemies, they were not to fear one another, they were brothers in Christ! Where there had been fear, now there was love.
Ananias lived out what the Apostle John would later verbalize in 1 John 4:18,

There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear… AMP

As my Life Application Study Bible says,
It is not always easy to love others, especially when we are afraid of them or doubt their motives. Nevertheless, we must follow Jesus’ command (John 13:34) and Ananias’ example, showing loving acceptance to other believers.

Mar 20th, 2022, Sun, 8:29 pm