^“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.’ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.” (Acts 9:17–18, NIV84)

Saul (the Apostle Paul) spent 3 days in a repentant state until Ananias came to see him. All he could ponder was how broken his theology must have been to actually be found fighting against the very God he thought he was serving. During 3 days of physical blindness, he realized that he was spiritually blind, as well. While Saul was in his lost and broken state, Ananias arrived with healing for body and soul. As he laid hands on Saul, Saul regained his sight both physically and spiritually. Scales fell off his physical eyes so he could see again, and his heart and soul were re-created, born again, converted to faith in Christ. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Saul came to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and his Savior. From there Ananias took Saul out to be baptized into the faith.

Three days earlier, if you would have asked Paul whether he might become a believer in Jesus he might have struck you for such a remark. If you would have told him that in 3 days he would become a believer and be baptized into the Christian faith, he might have killed you. But not on this day! Something had happened. Paul had changed. Paul’s change was a radical change. He went from an exclusive Pharisee to an inclusive Christian. He went from hating the Gentile world to doing everything he could to redeem it with the message of Jesus.

You see, when you come into contact with Jesus, you are never the same again. Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world. He came that we might get the chance to repent, convert and change. Believers in Jesus actually die to who they were so that they might be born again and come to live as the person they have been re-created to be. A long time ago there was a contemporary Christian song by Bryan Duncan that had this line in it: “Changed hearts make changed lives!” May we be forever changed!

Peace!

Pastor Tom

www.firmlyrooted.church