Follow the call into the night . . .

¹⁰ After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
¹² When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³ Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” ¹⁴ When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”    Acts 21:10-14

There are times that we are told by the Lord that there is a path that we must take, and although we know it will not be something we would choose of our own, we follow God into the lion's den.  See all that we experience by the hand of God is not always something we want to shout about, and say "Praise the Lord!"  Instead, it is sometimes something that we, and others would prefer to walk away from.

Here the people were told that Paul was going to be put into prison for the gospel's sake if he went to Jerusalem.  They were all very upset about the word.  What is interesting is that they all knew it was from the Lord, although it was NOT what they would have wanted to hear.  Oftentimes when we hear a word from the Lord that is not a "happy" word; one which we would NOT say is a "blessing;" . . . if the word we hear is one which will cost us something to follow, if it is a word from Him that will give us pain, . . . AND we share it with others, the first thing many are ready to say is that must not be from God.  Unfortunately there is this belief that God would not require His children to go through any suffering. 

Wrong.

See suffering IS part of the journey.  To believe otherwise is unbiblical.  It is also unbiblical to believe that all suffering is the result of that person's sin, or screw ups.  Paul had not screwed up and even Jesus pointed out that one man who was blind was not the result of his sin or the sin of his parents - but instead that God might be glorified.  So yes, there is a time that God calls us to a sacrifice, to bear our cross - HIS cross.  To walk into the night knowing that He is the one sending us.  And so it was for Paul.  And what was his answer to their pleading him not to go?

"Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

May I take a moment and point out something . . . Paul hurt when they pleaded with him not to follow God's will.  It hurts when someone close to you misunderstands and tells you you are really off to believe that God would call you to walk through such hurt and pain.  It hurts to have someone tell you that God's way is only from glory to glory -- where the limited understanding being followed is that glory to glory does not include a process which requires pain.  So a bit of advice:  perhaps it would be best for us to hold our tongue from pleading, judging or finding fault with such a call to sacrifice and pain. Just a thought. 

Now the rest of his response I would like to say would be mine too, and I would like to think it would be a true response from my heart.  But I am not really sure if I could say the same, and yet each day we are called to be bound to His sacrifice, to die to ourselves and live through and for him.  Such is the case each day.  For Paul it was nothing new for it was nothing different from the call he was already living.

See Paul knew that Christ would not give him more than he, Paul could bear with Christ. That is a truth that we should hold on to also.  We should realise that the impossible is more than possible when He is in the midst of it.  That in Christ we can withstand anything, pain, suffering, fearful circumstances, humiliation, hurt, despair, heartache, etc.  It is then possible to answer as Paul did.

As I wrote this today I thought about such times, one of which I am having to go through even as I write.  Does it feel good.  No.  Do I know that it is His will that I go through it.  Yes.  Will He get the glory for it.
Yes. Could I do it alone.  No.  . . . but thanks be to God I am NOT alone!  Christ is here for me and for you.

Point:  When you believe that the message from the Lord is to go into the lion's den, don't immediately dismiss it or think it impossible.  Don't be discouraged if others desire you not to, and don't turn away from the direction because of them.  Don't run away.  Instead embrace it, asking God to go with you into it for He undoubtedly knows that you can not do it by yourself.  See His directions are almost always to do the impossible.  Accept the call into the night . . .

May the Lord's will be done.

Got Word?

Love yah,