July 9, 2009 - Acts 9:17

“Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 9:17.
Ananias, obeying what he believed to be God’s instructions, went to the house where Saul was staying. All that he understood about the situation was what he believed God had spoken to him. Upon arriving, to his great relief, he discovered that Saul was present and in need of hearing a word from the Lord, as well as in need of a healing touch. It is evident that Ananias knew exactly what he needed to do next, and he prayed for Saul’s eyes to be healed and that Saul would be filled with the Holy Spirit. I am certain that there was great rejoicing in this moment for all of those involved!
There have been times when I believed God wanted me to step out of my comfort zone and to do something risky for Him. But I must admit that I was never confronted with a potentially life-threatening situation similar to the one Ananias faced, at least not that I know of. Yet, in the midst of risking it, I have felt the nervousness and insecurity of possibly being wrong – and not hearing correctly from God. It almost paralyzed me to the point of inaction, but I pressed on. In most of those situations, it did not necessarily work out the way that I thought that it would, but rarely would I say that it was the wrong thing to do. I usually have learned valuable lessons and have grown as a result of taking the risks.
Questions to consider: When is the last time that you sensed God nudging you to do something risky for Him? Did you do it? How did it work out for you? Are you open to its happening again?
Prayer: Father, help me to have a heart that is willing to take risks when I sense You calling me to do something risky. Help me to get out of my comfortable, safe place in order to serve You in a deeper, more meaningful way. Amen.