Acts 22:10-11 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.
I have heard people say, “The Holy Spirit is a gentleman, he only comes when invited.” Paul didn’t ask for this encounter with God, it was just Boom! Jesus did say how much more will I give the Holy Spirit to those who ask, but sometimes, God in his sovereignty just touches someone.
I love it that it wasn’t just a nice warm tingly feeling. In worship and prayer I often, and more so recently feel the physical presence of God. Occasionally I’ll get knocked over or weak at the knees, but rarely.
I remember at Bible college my lecturer saying, “If you haven’t heard from God for a while don’t worry, it could mean you are doing well and there is no need for God to speak directly to you. Just remember the last thing he told you to do and keep doing it!” Clearly Saul wasn’t doing the right thing, and needed this word from God. Obviously I’m not saying, go and do the wrong thing and you might get a word from God, Ananias and Sapphira did the wrong thing and lied about money to the church and fell dead on the spot. Personally, I’d rather be knocked of my horse, blinded and hear an audible voice than this option. Now I think of it I’d love to have a horse, I might look up bloodstock.com.au J Back to the journal…
After the encounter with God we see in this passage, ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.” Sometimes when we have an encounter with God we just want to lie there and soak it all in for ourselves, a touch from heaven can be such a beautiful encounter. But then you have to make sure you are not so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good. The Lord says, Get up! “you will be told all that you have been assigned to do” God always has an assignment for us. We are saved to serve. Empowered to be witnesses. Touched to touch. Blessed to Bless. You get the picture?
And that’s all God said. He could have given the assignment to Paul, but he also spoke to Annanias and used him to share the rest of the assignment. God speaks directly to us, and directly through people to us as well. Who is God speaking to me through? Who does he want to speak through me to.
Lord, Speak to me. Speak through me. Empower me. What is my assignment today? Can I have a horse? Lord, I heard you speak to me to evangelise the city 5 years ago, I re-commit myself to this assignment. You told me to use the media to proclaim the gospel, I recommit myself to this task. Here am I Lord, send me. Amen.