In Acts 9, Saul is on his way to Damascus to capture those that follow the Way and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment when he gets knocked down. Scripture documents the event like this – “…suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting 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.” … For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. … Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord … 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 9:3-6, 9, 17-19. We have all been knocked down to some degree over these past number of months. It may be due to job loss, family stress, loss of a loved one or the cancelation of something you were looking forward to. Your business or industry may be suffering as a result of the lockdowns and, as an extrovert, you may be experiencing slow death from isolation in place. You were not blinded as Saul was but you certainly feel like you have been blind-sided! The question is, have you experienced an ‘Ananias moment’ in the midst of this time?
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:2. Some twenty years after his ‘Ananias moment’, Paul writes this admonition to the Romans. My ‘Ananias moment’ in this Covid time has been the realization of how much I have conformed to the pattern of this world. With travel schedules, kids’ activities and general busy-ness being scaled back significantly, I have been able to recalibrate life to better priorities – daily time with the Lord through prayer and scripture, time in the home with family, eating meals together and relating to each other to new levels be it as husband-wife, father-son or father-daughter.
God’s will is to live into loving relationships grounded in Him, especially in marriage and family. I pray you experience an ‘Ananias moment’ that recalibrates your life to better priorities, that opens your eyes to see beyond where the pattern of this world had you just months ago. May the Lord renew your mind as the dad He calls you to be, the dad the next generation needs to see.
Prayer guide: Thank You Lord for Your word and for the ‘Ananias moment’ You granted me. I did not realize how much I had drifted from You into the pattern of this world. Forgive me. Thank You for this time to recalibrate under better priorities – to focus my eyes on You and the loving relationships You have blessed me with in marriage and family. Help me live into the better priorities and stand firm against the pattern of this world with a renewed mind tuned-in to Your will. Amen.
A faithful father repents and recalibrates life to better priorities.
