And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. (11) And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, (12) And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. (13) Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: (14) And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. (15) But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: (16) For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. (17) And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. (18) And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. (19) And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
It is wonderful to observe, by what instruments and means, the Lord is pleased sometimes to work. According to our view of things, we should have supposed that the Lord would have sent Saul back to Jerusalem to the College of the Apostles, for whatever instruction the Lord was pleased to appoint him; and not send for this poor timid Ananias be his servant in this business. Nay, one should have thought, that after the Lord Jesus himself had called to Saul from heaven, he would have needed no ministry from others upon earth. But here, as in numberless instances, God's thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways his ways, Isaiah 55:8
It must have been a cutting word, though full of tenderness in Ananias, when at the first interview, yea, and the first word which he spake to Saul, he called him, Brother! The conscious breast of Saul could not but have felt it very sensibly. And it must have been what Saul in after days himself called heaping coals of fire upon my head, in melting down all anger in overcoming evil with good, (Romans 12:20-21) when Ananias added the precious name of Jesus, and said, the Lord, even Jesus, which appeared unto thee in the way, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Who shall describe the blessedness of this interview between Saul and Ananias? Who shall speak of the new feelings in Saul's heart, and the joys of both, when Saul first opened his eyes, and they saw each other? But, Reader! think what feelings of the soul must that be to every redeemed one of the Lord's, when at death, the spiritual eye first sees Jesus, that brother born for adversity! What sensations must the first glimpse of Him in the eternal world occasion, when from faith to sight, the soul sees him as he is, and is then brought home to dwell with him forever!