But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
God chooses to use people for His purpose. That is the reason they have been created.
In the above passage we are taking one verse out of the section about Saul’s conversion to faith in Christ (he will eventually be renamed Paul). In chapter nine we read that Saul was on a mission to bring Jewish believers in Christ back to Jerusalem for some sort of legal proceedings that could, possibly, lead to their death. That was his designed mission. He requested “papers” from the High Priest that authorized him to take capture anyone who was part of the Way (this was what they called the early church ... Acts 9:1).
As Saul was traveling to do commit these acts against the Way, he was confronted by Christ and was blinded because of the light of that confrontation. For the next three days he is without sight, without food and without understanding. When God instructs a current believer (in the Way) to go to Saul (Ananias) he is fearful of Saul, rightly so. Yet, God tells Ananias to not be afraid of Saul because He has called Saul and made him to be a “chosen instrument” (vessel) to carry the message of the gospel to Jews and Gentiles and kings. This word “chosen instrument” was often used for the tackle on a ship. It was a common term for any type of equipment or apparatus. The point we see in this verse is that even though a man might have his own mission and it might even be against the cause of Christ, God has the power to change that man. God has chosen men to be “instruments” for His plans and His missions. Saul may have wanted to do something with his life that he wanted. But, God as put Saul on this earth for a mission that God designed for him. We are not our own. God puts men and women on the earth to accomplish something He has designed.
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