Acts 21: 12 -13 We begged Paul not to be stubborn and persist in going to Jerusalem. But Paul wouldn't budge: "Why all this hysteria? Why do you insist on making a scene and making it even harder for me? You're looking at this backward. The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can't you see that? It's in God's hands now," we said. "Master, you handle it."
I am sitting in Jerusalem tonight as I write. These words mean much to me, down deep. The issue is not what they do to Paul or to me or to you but the issue is what our Master does through our obedience. And Paul tells the rest of his story. Hearing the history here it startles and sinks deep. Psalm 51:6 May the Truth of the Gospel sink very deep in all of our hearts that we may be more concerned about what our Master does through our obedience than what happens to us.
Acts 21:5-6 - “When our time was up, they escorted us out of the city to the docks. Everyone came along—men, women, children. They made a farewell party of the occasion! We all kneeled together on the beach and prayed. Then, after another round of saying good-bye, we climbed on board the ship while they drifted back to their homes.”
ReplyDeleteContemplating this morning Paul’s tearful goodbyes as he and Sylas (and Luke I presume?), set sail again. He passes the coastline of Cyprus and fondly remembers the family of his second journey .(Acts 13 or so) Paul must have had to leave many he loved over and over again, heeding his call, until the last one had heard the Good saving News of the Lord Christ.
[Bev, you could have seen Paul’s ship from Mt. Carmel as you looked out from its peak, or even waved to him as he passed as you ran on the sandy beach. So surreal to me—I so hope you have a picture of you in the garden of Gethsemane. My favorite picture from my daughter’s visit (well there are two) is the one she took standing so close to where Jesus prayed John 17.]
“The man who is in the family of the Church has friends all over the world." (Wm. Barclay)