Acts chapter 22

vs 11

I'm not sure if people get blinded by being struck by lightning, so it might just be that it was a radiant holy light. Which only blinded him.

vs 12

So he has the Jewish credentials. Not necessarily a Jew, but was respected by them.

vs 13

A miraculous healing. It is a moment by moment thing. Not a gradual fading of lack of vision or anything like that. And thoroughly to be expected when God has revealed himself, for him to authenticate his message by miracles.

vs 14

It is a pretty special thing to be chosen for. It's certainly not a regular occurence. Even with Jesus walking around for 3 years in his ministry, how many of the world's population got to see that?

vs 15

Ananias got to speak possibly one of the most important words of prophecy over someone in the history of the church. I don't think even he would have realised just how far Paul's witness would go.

vs 16

What a great guy! I'd love to say this to some people sometimes. What are you waiting for? Get on with it!

"Wash your sins away" is a very interesting thing to say about baptism. We'd never say that. We'd say that it was Christ, not baptism, that washes our sins away. Ananias just says it.

vs 17

Now I've never had this happen to me, but then I've probably never been in a position where I was about to get my ass whipped for being a Christian either.

vs 18

This must have been a truly sad state for Paul, who loves his fellow Jews deeply. For God to tell him that they, in the centre of their capital, would not accept their own God's testimony about himself, would have been a big shock.

vs 19-20

Paul is responding to God with what I think is very normal and human wisdom. He's the guy who was pre-eminent in the persecution and killing of Christians. He's a well known Jewish figure. He's had the massive conversion experience from one side to the other, so he should be able to see both sides, and explain most clearly to the Jews, right?

It is actually ok to question God. Now, as I said, I've never fallen into a trance and had the opportunity where I've thought I was going to get a verbal reply from God on the spot. But even in my regular prayers, I still question God's activities. But I preface it, as Paul did, with "Lord". Just because I don't understand it, doesn't mean that God is wrong. He is Lord, I acknowledge that. I also acknowledge that I'm a pea. But I'm a thinking pea, and I am allowed to question.