You’re reading ACTS: LESSONS IN FAITH, by Eric Elder, featuring thirty inspiring devotionals based on the lives of the very first followers of Christ. Also available in paperback and eBook formats in our bookstore for a donation of any size!

Scripture Reading: Acts 9

There are times when I’ll be singing a song of worship to God when my arms almost automatically begin to rise up.  Almost without thinking I’ll find myself with my arms fully outstretched above my head in praise to God.  It’s a beautiful time of both reaching out to God and completely giving myself to Him―an act of surrender, you might call it―with my hands up in the air, nothing to hide and gladly submitted to the Lordship of Christ.

I remember a similar moment when I put my faith in Christ at 23, having taken control of my own life for those years and seeing where I ended up, then finally yielding to Christ to let Him call the shots from then on.  It was no longer a hard thing to do, but joyous, yielding myself completely to God’s will and purposes.

The Apostle Paul experienced his own profound moment of surrender on the road to Damascus.

Even though Paul was extremely religious, he didn’t believe in Christ.  He was committed to imprisoning―and even killing―those who did.  He had gotten permission from the high priest in Jerusalem to go to Damascus and take prisoner those who belonged to what was then called “the Way.”

Here’s what happened to Paul that not only changed the course of the rest of his trip, but also the rest of his life.  In this passage, Paul is still called Saul, as Christ had not yet given him his new name:

“As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ 

‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. 

‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.  ‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do’ ” (Acts 9:3-6). 

When Paul got up from that experience, he was physically blinded.  Those traveling with him led him into Damascus, where he stayed for three days, neither eating nor drinking.

During those same three days, a believer in Damascus named Ananias faced his own moment of surrender.

He had already put his faith in Christ, but when the Lord, in a vision, called him to go and pray for Paul to receive his sight back, Ananias wrestled with what he was going to do.  He had heard reports about what Paul had done to believers in Jerusalem.  He knew Paul had authority from the chief priests to do the same in Damascus.  Faced with this extremely tough dilemma, Ananias chose to surrender to the will of God:

“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, and after taking some food, he regained his strength” (Acts 9:17-19). 

From that day on, and for the rest of his life, Paul went on to preach boldly in the name of Christ.  He wrote much of the New Testament, which has affected literally millions of lives in the 2,000 years since then.

Thank God that Paul surrendered his will to God’s.  And thank God that Ananias surrendered his will to God’s, too.

Faith surrenders.  Whether you’re still just considering putting your faith in Christ for the first time, or whether you’ve been a believer for years, I want to encourage you today to surrender whatever’s left of your will to the will of God.  Is there something God is calling you to do?  Somewhere He wants you to go?  Someone He wants you to talk to?  Something He wants you to give to Him?

Lift up your hands and take hold of His.  Lift up your heart and give it to Him.  Give up your will and get into His.  Whatever you’re planning to do, wherever you’re planning to go, it will pale in comparison to what He wants to do in and through you.

Prayer: Father, give me the faith to surrender my will to Yours. In Jesus’ name, Amen.