God's Will

June 26

2 Kings 15-16

Psalm 75:1-5

Proverbs 16:22-23

Acts 21

God’s Will

“And when we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem.  Then Paul answered, ‘What are you doing crying and breaking my heart?  For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’  And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, saying, ‘The will of the Lord be done!’”  Acts 21: 12-14 LSB

From the moment of his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul had a singular mission.  God had tasked him with bringing the gospel to the Gentiles.  He had faithfully carried out his purpose.  Paul knew that when he went to Jerusalem, he was going to be arrested and this would eventually lead to his death.  But he also knew that going to Jerusalem was part of God’s plan.  Others in the church also recognized that going to Jerusalem was going to be dangerous for him and they tried to persuade him not to go, but he would not be deterred.  His faith and resolve increased their faith and helped them come to the place where they could say, “The will of the Lord be done!”  They probably all thought that his arrest would be the end of his ministry, but they were wrong.  Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem led to his being taken to Rome to stand before Caesar.  As a result, Paul was held on house arrest for two years.  During that time, he was guarded by a Roman centurion and was permitted to receive visitors, including believers from local churches.  His ministry continued as he taught the believers in Rome and helped them gain a fuller understanding of their faith in Jesus further spreading the gospel into Europe.  While in Rome, Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. God continued to use Paul mightily until his execution.  In one of his final books, Paul wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  Philippians 1:21 LSB  Paul understood that as long as he was alive, he had the opportunity to share the gospel and if he died he would be in the presence of Jesus, his Savior, which would be even better.  He was committed to carrying out his mission until God chose to bring him home. 

It is easy to think that Paul was an apostle and so his role was more important than ours.  He could have that mindset because He had a special calling on his life.  It’s true that God used Paul in profound ways as he wrote much of the New Testament and he spread the gospel to the Gentile world, but God has given each of us a role in His kingdom.  We each have a calling and a purpose.  It may not be as visible as Paul’s, but it is none the less important.  Like Paul, we may not be able to understand everything He is doing in and through us, but we just need to be obedient to follow His leading.  His ways rarely line up with our plans and agenda, but if we are obedient He can accomplish mighty things through our lives as well.  Our faithfulness and obedience can be a powerful testimony for others to help increase their faith.