Read Acts 22:1 through 24:27
When Steve came to church after an absence of several Sundays, Sue welcomed him and told him she’d missed him. “I was in drug rehab for the thirteenth time,” he explained. Touched by his openness, she assured him she would pray for him.
Like Steve, Saul, later known as Paul, found himself in a difficult position. He had been traveling to Damascus to arrest Christians when an encounter with Jesus left him blind. Christians in Damascus were afraid of Saul. Fortunately, God sent one to pray for Saul. That Christian was Ananias.
“He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him” (Acts 22:13).
Many Christians know someone like Saul or Steve— someone struggling with problems that cause other people to avoid them. Christians should stand beside these people and pray for them. Otherwise, the Church may lose a treasure.
Thought for Today: The difference between success and failure in a friend’s life may be an arm around his shoulder.
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