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The Worst Job Description Ever

But here’s the bigger issue in this story of faith: Would Ananias allow that justifiable fear to rule his heart and shape his response, or would his fear of God determine his next steps? I am deeply persuaded that it’s only fear that ever defeats fear. Only a greater fear of God can decimate the lesser fear of man, or the fear of situations, locations and circumstances.

What does this fear of God look like? Because of my reverential awe of, and faith in, the Lord’s power and glory, I walk toward the thing that I would normally run away from, placing myself in his powerful and loving hands by obeying his call. Fear of God doesn’t mean that I cease being afraid of the thing God is calling me to, but it does mean that my vertical fear (of God) is what ultimately determines my words and actions, not my horizontal fear (of people, places, or things).

This is exactly what Ananias did. Maybe he worried all the way, but he still went. Perhaps he hesitated and thought about turning back a few times, but he still completed the journey. Maybe he nervously prayed for help and safety with every step, but he still stepped forward. Perhaps he reconciled himself to the fact that he might die, but he didn’t allow even the fear of death to stop him. Every step between where he was and where blind Saul waited was a step of faith, moving toward God in fear instead of away from Saul in fear.

The Paradox – Grace in Action

Imagine what it must have been like for Ananias to enter the house where Saul was waiting for him. As he crossed over the threshold, would he be seized, bound and executed? But in a surprising twist, the Saul whom Ananias encountered was not a man to be feared, but a man to be pitied and loved.

What appeared to be the worst job description ever was actually the best gospel opportunity ever. Ananias was called to go to Damascus and, with his hands and words, make the invisible grace of Jesus visible. Ananias laid his hands on Saul and addressed him as brother. The touch of Ananias’ hands was the incarnation of the accepting hands of the Savior. The word “brother” defined the glorious message of God’s adoption for Saul. With one little act, the life of this murderous man was changed forever, and the legacy of the Apostle Paul’s ministry has since shaped the faith of every person who has ever believed in Jesus.

It’s hard for me to capture with words the paradox of grace in this story. By grace, God robbed Saul of all his evil power to fill him with holy power. By grace, God rendered Saul blind so that for the first time in his life, he would truly see. By grace, this agent of death was being called to find new life in the death of Jesus. By grace, this man who was radically committed to destroying the church would be called to radically build the same church. By grace, this messenger of threats and murder who hated the words of the Lord would become one of the most prolific messengers of the Word of the Lord.

This amazing narrative took place because God chose one timid Christian to be an instrument of his transforming grace in the life of Saul. And that timid Christian, Ananias, determined to allow the fear of God rule his heart. All I can write is WOW!

This story is a picture of what God is able to do through the willing obedience of one fearful believer. The Lord doesn’t need you to be strong, because he is. He doesn’t need you to be a hero, because he is the Hero of heroes. No, he chooses to send the timid into battle, and through them, he displays the power of his might and the glory of his grace.

God will call unlikely people like you and me and Ananias to do extraordinary things. In these moments, when obedience seems unsafe, he asks one thing of us: Let the fear of God reign in our heart.

This resource is from Paul Tripp Ministries. For additional resources, visit www.paultripp.com. Used with permission.