Tuesday 28 April 2026

Psalm 36:5-12

Background
The focus of today’s story is of course on Saul (who is soon to become the Apostle Paul) and his encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus.

I have met many people in my ministry who wish they’d had such an experience, a sudden meeting with Jesus in which their lives changed dramatically in a moment they could store away forever as ‘the day I became a Christian’.

But how many of us would really like to share in that terrifying experience of being thrown down to the ground, writhing in pain, blinded and unable to eat or drink for three days – even if it meant your subsequent adventures as an evangelist and church planter would be recorded in the Bible!

Later in the story, we meet a man who has an equally terrifying experience. He's asked by the Lord to go and lay hands on Saul to restore his sight. Considering how Saul is described in verse 1 as "still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples" Ananias’ reply is remarkable restrained. I’m fairly sure I would have run a mile at the Lord’s request (it might be rather like being told to visit an erstwhile murderer or terrorist who had supposedly changed his ways).

Unlike Saul, Jesus doesn’t have to strike down Ananias to get his attention because Ananias is obediently walking beside and listening to the Lord every day. The Lord only has to speak calmly in a vision and Ananias obeys. Paul receives his sight and goes on to have a powerful ministry amongst the Gentiles: "'This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles' says the Lord." (v. 15)

Paul's transformation depended very much on the quiet, faithful disciple Ananias who walked and talked with God every day and trusted God enough to carry out a seemingly terrifying mission. We may not all have had the dramatic conversion experience that Paul had, but we might well have been the Ananias in someone else’s story. He's the quiet, trusting, prayerful and obedient disciple on whom so much of the growth of God's kingdom depends.

To Ponder:

• Can you describe a ‘Damascus road’ experience that you have had? How exciting/terrifying was it?
• Has God ever asked you to be the Ananias in someone else’s story?
• Why did God choose Saul over the more obedient Ananias to go to preach to the Gentiles do you think?

Bible notes author: Sue Moore
Sue Moore is a visiting Anglican preacher on the Methodist circuit in West Norfolk. She is candidating for the role of Distinctive Deacon and together with her husband runs a bereavement support group. They have two greyhounds who keep them fit with plenty of walking.