“In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Acts 9:10-16
Day one of Holy Week. You, these particular Haitian school children and I are aware of that. Are there people you will brush by today who don’t know how important Holy Week is to us? Or, how important that should be to us…and them? Saul probably didn’t know, but soon he would find out. Ananias knew that Saul might persecute him for what he was told to do. God's answer to Ananias's question in verse 16 is clear: "I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake."
Saul would soon be called Paul and he was going to suffer imprisonment, severe beatings, stonings, shipwreck, near-drowning, ambushes, robberies, insomnia, starvation, loneliness, disease, dehydration and extreme hypothermia. When we and these Haitian school children, like Paul, face painful challenges, we are literally brought to our knees and then lifted up by His Grace, humbly committed to following our Savior's lead.
I don’t know what your challenge might be today, but I have been daily reading what these Haitian school children are enduring in their country; it is terrible. But consider for a moment what faces that person who doesn’t understand what Holy Week is and what our Savior did for us on the Cross. Their suffering will last for an eternity. They need to hear the Gospel message. The seeds of Truth need to be planted so the Holy Spirit can bring a soul in the Kingdom of Heaven…for eternity. A few weeks ago, Pastor David Ehlers shared a poem in his sermon message that was written by an unknown author. It portrays the thoughts of the person who didn’t come to know about Jesus Christ, the Cross and the Empty Tomb. This person is likely meeting his maker and sees you standing in the other line. I thought that it would be a good way to close today and possibly nudge you to share the reason for Holy Week and just how important it really is to me, you and these Haitian school children.
“My friend, I stand in Judgment now, and feel that you're to blame somehow. On earth, I walked with you day by day, and never did you point the way. You knew the Lord in truth and glory, but never did you tell the story. My knowledge then was very dim; you could have led me safe to Him. Though we lived together on the earth, you never told me of the second birth. And now I stand this day condemned, because you failed to mention Him. You taught me many things, that's true, I called you 'friend' and trusted you. But now I learn that it's too late, you could have kept me from this fate. We walked by day and talked by night, and yet you showed me not the Light. You let me live, and love, and die; you knew I'd never live on high. Yes, I called you a 'friend' in life, and trusted you through joy and strife.”
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay