Daily Devotional For Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Good morning Southside! I am following the One Year Chronological Bible reading suggestion and any Bible verses you see highlighted in bold (ex. John 3:16), means it is a link to that verse. All you have to do is click on the reference and it will take you to the verse online. Our daily devotional for today comes from Acts 9:1-19. Picking up where we left off yesterday, this text gives us the conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus. We learn in this passage that the early Christians were known as “followers of the Way.” A reference to Jesus being the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Saul was a hunter and he thoroughly enjoyed hunting Christians as big game. So, after causing the Christians in Jerusalem to scatter, he set his sights on Damascus, some 150 miles away. Little did he know that as he was shedding the blood of Christians, he would encounter the One who shed His blood for him. The text shows that when he heard the voice, so did those with him even though they could not see a person. This had to be scary for them as well. Like a lightning bolt out of the sky, the Lord had his attention.
It is clear in his response, “Who are you Lord?” that in that moment he was aware that the Lord was alive. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:8 that he personally saw the Lord that day. The second thing that Saul was immediately aware of was he was not only persecuting those of the Way, but he was persecuting Christ. These two truths were both overwhelming and terrorizing to him that is why he prostrated himself. Now blind, weak and impotent, the great game hunter is now led by the hand into the city.
Now what this tells us is that when it comes to salvation, God always takes the initiative. God always takes the first move and we see this with Saul. In some way Christ is both the Hunter and the initiator. The Lord had to speak to Ananias to ease his fears about Saul. It is clear that Saul’s reputation had preceded him and Ananias is frightened, wondering if this is some kind of plot. Ananias obeys the Lord and Saul and he became Christian brothers. And in that moment, his sight returned. It was a sharp contrast like the spiritual darkness he once lived in as Saul. Now, that he could see physically, this was to show that he could see spiritually. This had to be so liberating and joyous for Saul who would be Paul.
The man who had once shed the blood of Christians would now shed his own to spread the Gospel. To some the mystery in this story is that God does not explain Himself and He is of no obligation to do so. Ananias was not ever expecting Saul to become Paul. He never expected that Saul, the destroyer of the Way, would become a disciple of the Way.
Reflection Assignment: Who in your family or friends or co-workers or school friends or neighbors do you see as never coming to Christ? If Saul can come to Christ, so can they. If former atheists C.S. Lewis, Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel and Ian Hutchinson can come to Christ, never give up. Are you willing to pray faithfully and willingly until they do? Why or why not?
Scripture To Meditate On: John 15:16, “You didn’t choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I do not want to give up on [their name] to pray for to come to Christ. Just like you drew Saul to You, please draw them to You. I do not want them to die and go to hell. You love them, Please do whatever is necessary to get their attention so they will come to You. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly