"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.' Acts 22:12-16

Ananias called Paul (then Saul), brother. Ananias was a Jew, so the two had this in common. As rich as that common bond was, it was minute compared to the brotherhood these two now shared “in Christ.”

Ananias told Paul that God had chosen him for three initial and revelatory purposes:

To know God’s will. Paul thought he knew and was doing God’s will by opposing Christ, the gospel, and the Church. How wrong he was, but God had now made His will clear.

To see God’s Son. We do not know if Paul ever saw Jesus before the crucifixion and resurrection, but we do know that Paul saw Jesus while on the road to Damascus. Though none of us has seen Jesus with our eyes, all believers have seen Jesus though the eyes of faith. Remember Peter’s words:

1 Peter 1:8-9 …whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

To Hear God’s voice. Paul heard Jesus speak audibly to him. We have not, but we hear Christ’s voice every time we read the Bible. Remember Paul’s words to the Ephesians (2:17) who never saw or heard Jesus preach, yet they heard Jesus preach through the apostles:

Ephesians 2:17 And He [Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.

Let us praise God for Paul’s encounter with Jesus, and for ours, though ours was maybe less dramatic!

Next time: Paul’s commission…