“LORD, I HAVE HEARD!”

Acts 9:1-2; 13-18                                     (ESV)

“1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the LORD, went to the high priest

2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”

....

“13 But Ananias answered, "”LORD, I HAVE HEARD” from many about this man, how much evil he has done to YOUR saints at 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 instrument of MINE to carry MY name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of MY name."

17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the LORD JESUS who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the HOLY SPIRIT."

18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;”

“They are too far gone for GOD to use them”!  How many times have we even just thought that about someone?  They seemingly have no identifiable traits that would suggest they are useable for the Kingdom, so IN OUR EYES we exclude them from ever being used in GOD’s Plan.  

Ananias was a devout follower of JESUS CHRIST who was asked to get outside of his “comfort zone”.   Saul was notorious during this time frame for persecuting the church of JESUS CHRIST.   Now JESUS was asking Ananias to go help Saul/Paul so he could regain his sight.  Why would ALMIGHTY GOD enable a persecutor of the church to be healed from the ailment that GOD had sent to get his attention?  Could it be that GOD wanted to show Ananias (AND ME) that when HE changes someone’s heart, HE can do it so radically that the person’s entire lifestyle is changed FOR HIS GLORY?!?  

Paul is considered by some to be one of the most dedicated Believers to have ever lived.  But his testimony prior to the Damascus road experience was one of fear and destruction.  Acts 9:1 says “....But Saul, still breathing THREATS and MURDER against the disciples of the LORD...”!  He had the establishment “church”, the “in crowd” if you will, supporting him in his efforts to silence a movement called The Way, and ultimately the Message of GOD!   But ALMIGHTY GOD isn’t constrained by what man thinks or plans!  

When will I stop trying to place my GOD into what man accepts as being possible?  JESUS said in Matthew 19:26 “....With man this is impossible, but with GOD all things are possible."  GOD has demonstrated FIRST HAND to me that HE delights in impossibilities!  Sometimes I believe HE lets things become SO HOPELESS that man believes there is no hope!  But HE can change a man’s heart, HE can move the Red Sea, HE can make the sun stand still, and HE can heal a brain hemorrhage! May my response be “LORD, I HAVE HEARD” from YOU and not be blinded by what “this world” says my GOD can do!!!