When I was a young guy, my two older siblings had taken on a paper route as a means to earn money. They delivered 300 of the “Shopper’s Guide” every other week. It did not matter if it was 98 degrees outside with 80% humidity, or if it was 30 degrees outside with snow and ice on the ground – they always delivered the Shopper’s Guide. Even when a family vacation came around, they would have to find other teens willing to do their route in their absence. One particular day, a dog attacked my brother. The dog jumped in the air, made contact with my brother’s upper body, and knocked him off his bike. The dog started showing his teeth and even drew blood. My sister proceeded throwing rolled up “Shopper’s Guides” to try to scare the dog off. An older neighbor came outside to see what the commotion was all about and began throwing items from her front porch at the dog! The dog eventually ran off but had left his mark on my brother.
This job definitely came with “issues.” Loading a bike with a heavy bag of rolled up newspapers on the front handlebars while riding on snow and ice had its draw backs, to be sure! Dogs would hide behind bushes along a fenced in area waiting for your approach, and then as you rode by the dogs would begin barking wildly – scaring the rider half silly! On one occasion, young teens had the paper boy as target practice with their BB guns – and we didn’t even live in a rough neighborhood.
Why do I know such details of the paper route job? Well, my sister went off to college and my brother needed a new partner. You could say I inherited the job – and I DID NOT want this job. I struggled with a bad attitude about “inheriting” this job for too long of a time. However, this job was working in me things I didn’t realize I needed. This job helped me with work ethic, dependability, work excellence, sacrifice, good habits, and strong character. I did just about everything I could to get out of doing this job. I wanted out! I thank God for patient parents who stuck to it and made me continue. Eventually, I could even see the benefits for myself.
Have you ever come across things you do not want to do? Clean the garage? Organize the basement? Clean out the gutters? You know, sometimes there are things that God calls us to do, but we really struggle with wanting to do them.
When we miss, ignore, or rebel against those things which God has called us to do – we also miss the blessings that only come from God’s pathway!
Church of God, we must choose the steps the Lord has directed us to take!
Let’s look at Acts 9:17-19 to see God’s calling that most would find undesirable (to say the least) and how choosing God’s path impacted untold multitudes for Christ – and as a result, had eternal value.
The context of Acts 9:17 is actually seen in Acts 8:1, 3 and Acts 9:13-16. The path Ananias was asked to choose was to approach a known persecutor of his friends and church leaders. This could be like going into a dark alley of a bad neighborhood! Yet, when God answers Ananias one question, Ananias goes. The absence of additional questions is the presence of faith in God.
Now we get to Acts 9:17. Ananias goes directly to where Saul was staying and tells Saul several things:
First, he refers to Saul as “Brother Saul.” This would be a term reserved for Christians. This shows Saul forgiveness, love, and mercy in one word – “brother.”
Second, he tells Saul why he came and tells him the same Lord who appeared to you has sent me. This confirms to Saul that God is at work here.
Third, he tells Saul what he going to do – restore his sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost. This enables Saul for the ministry God has for him.
In 2000, my wife and I took a trip to Colorado to scope out the area for a church plant. We had to fly from Milwaukee to Chicago to make a connecting flight to Colorado. My wife was 34 weeks pregnant with our third child and we were traveling alone. The first flight was on a small 19 passenger plane – and it was a windy day. The pilot apologized before we took off and said it would be a bumpy flight. Well, it was bumpy alright! We would fall through an air pocket far and fast enough that people would yell out (like on a roller coaster). I had flown numerous times in my life and never had a problem with motion sickness. I even grew up riding roller coasters up and down the east coast; however, this was a ride like none other. My 34 weeks pregnant wife is staring out the window, enjoying the view, while I am praying for the Lord to end this flight ASAP! When Charis turned back to ask me something, she saw a certain shade of green she had not noticed before. Let’s just say that that trip has kept me off small planes for over two decades. We were supposed to take the same plane on the return trip, and I had already decided I would rent a car and drive from Chicago to Milwaukee before I would get in that plane again. Thankfully, a snowstorm came through and caused a bunch of changes. We ended up on a straight through flight with no connections in Chicago (Did you hear the Hallelujah chorus that day? It was me!). I did NOT want to get on that small plane again!!
3 Things We Tend NOT to Want to Do:
1. Stepping out of our Comfort Zone. Ananias was asked to go to the one who could very well arrest him.
2. Serving others with Sacrifice (Matthew 20:28). Ananias chose to obey God’s call at the risk of personal sacrifice. He could have lost his freedom, be separated from his family, be tortured, or even have lost his life.
3. Trusting God when it doesn’t make sense. Ananias could only obey God’s call because he trusted the Lord.
5 Crucial Choices to Make an Impact for God
1. Live Ready.
When God approached Ananias in Acts 9:10, he said, “I am here.” He stood ready to hear from God, listen to God, and follow God. This means Ananias kept a heart that was tender to the voice of God.
2. Trust God.
Ananias trusted God when God’s word was clear, but it didn’t make sense from his point of view.
3. Be Content.
Be content with God. There is nothing wrong with asking a question in good faith. Ananias asks God about approaching Saul in Acts 9:13-14. His concerns are legitimate! However, we must also realize we may not always get every question answered to satisfy our fear or doubt. Notice in Acts 9:15 that the Lord answers Ananias’ concerns with “Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel.” In faith, we must ask God to help us be content with His answer.
4. Be Willing.
Ananias had to be willing to follow God, no matter where God told Him to go. So, no matter the location to which God sends you or the person to whom He sends you, the crucial choice is to be willing.
5. Act Now.
The final crucial choice in God using each of us is to actually do that which He commands you or leads you to do.
What steps has God directed you to take that you are still thinking about or even possibly rejecting? Steps for forgiveness? Steps for loving your enemies? Steps of kindness to those unlike you? Steps for tithing? Steps for baptism and church membership? Steps for happily obeying your parents, loving your wife, or following your husband? Steps for sharing Jesus with a neighbor, co-worker, or relative?
The Lord may not call you to go to a known persecutor of Christians, but He is calling you to all of these other things just mentioned. Church of God, we must choose the steps God has directed us to take!