Good morning, friends.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 9:10, “Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’”
There is a paradox in philosophy known as the Irresistible Force paradox. It poses the question, “What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?” Both are assumed to be indestructible, so the quandary arises as to the unimaginable outcome of these two incompatible objects. When Saul was on his game, breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, he may have seemed like the irresistible force personified. But knowing the almighty power of God, some disciples may have considered themselves the immovable object. If any of that was true, it certainly came apart for Saul and Ananias as their paths were about to converge. Now, Saul was blind and breathing prayers instead of persecution. And Ananias went from safely tucked away in Damascus to called by God to go and meet his oppressor. And if these two men were on opposite ends of the sanctified spectrum before, they were now practically one and the same. Saul is blind, but if he is able to trust the One who blinded him, then he knows from the vision he had that his sight is going to be restored. Ananias is scared, but if he is able to trust the One for whom he is scared, then he knows from the vision he had that he has nothing to be afraid of. If they both can believe what God told them, then they will both play a part in God’s sovereign work of regeneration and restoration.
You’ve heard a thousand sermons about faith and read over and over the verses about trusting. You know the bible stories of overwhelming odds and God’s faithful deliverance. But what about confronting your most dreaded antagonist face to face, or having your insides ripped out as your past is exposed for what it truly is? Does any particular sermon come to mind at that moment? And if a verse does pop out, is your relationship with its Author such that you can lean on it to get you through? We each have our own irresistible forces and immovable objects that might seem to be bearing down on us. If so, it’s going to take something stronger and bigger than us to handle it. Our Lord is that One. Stronger and bigger, and full of the love that knows no bounds. Resist Him no longer.
As we seek Him today, surrender to the paradox of a God who died to rescue sinners like you and me.
Have a terrific Wednesday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
