February 20

“And said, What shall I do Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus.” Acts 22:10

Before he encountered the sovereign rule of God, Paul had taken upon himself to wipe out the Church; but after he had fallen to the ground and acknowledged Jesus as Lord, he was a changed man, able now to submit to directions from one of its members. Ananias of Damascus. In that moment when he was saved, Paul had come to know God’s rule as well as his mercy.

How could Paul, a man of such dominating character, listen to the words of Ananias, an unknown Christian whom Scripture mentions only in connection with this incident? Clearly it was because he had now become subject to God’s reign. Had he not encountered divine authority on the Damascus Road, he would never have become subject to an obscure Christian brother in that city.