I completed my personal studying through the Acts of the Apostles this morning. It is one of the times when I completed a section of Scripture that I sat back, and really just marveled at God. Now, do not get me wrong, I marvel at God often, and how wonderful His works are. I suppose the beauty of the Bible, when we take the time to read it, pray through it, call on the Holy Spirit to illuminate it, and just spend time marveling at it we find and feel so many emotions. Many times, when I reach the conclusion of one of the books of the Bible I feel almost as if I am sad that it ended, I wanted it to keep going. Of course, I move on to the next book and God is already revealing to me great things of His doing.
Going back to reaching the end of Acts of the Apostles today, and my marveling at God’s great works I am filled with anticipation and excitement of what God is doing. The life of Paul as we see detailed in Acts is one of complete amazement. Amazement at how powerful God is. While I have been reading Acts, I have also been reading N.T. Wright’s biography of Paul, so the historical travels as detailed by Wright open up even more clearly the amazing life of Paul. Chapters 28 and 29 in Paul are filled with details of the shipwreck as written by Luke. In Luke’s writing the stress of what was happening all around Paul is building. Yet, Paul of course is focused on getting to Rome to achieve God’s Will.
God’s Will is the point about which I am truly writing. Achieving His Will for His Glory is the mission that I look to accomplish. And like many of you, somedays I accomplish that task a lot better then on other days. But, look at the confidence of Paul in all that happened. How about the “viper” that bit Paul’s hand. As Luke writes of this incident it seems as though chaos was happening all around Paul, yet for Paul it was another day of evangelizing and sharing the Gospel message as he had been called to do. What would happen if we got stung by a bee as we were sharing the Gospel with somebody at the park? Is it safe to say that park may not see our evangelical presence again? I am thinking of the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20 as Paul shook the “viper” off his hand, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (NASB). Paul had the supreme confidence that comes from the only true God. How about the last line in Acts? “Preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered” (Acts 28:31 NASB). God’s Will when sharing His Word will be done and will ultimately be unhindered. God bless each one of you and thank you for reading. Now, let us all go share the message of Jesus Christ!