Determination

While we were staying there many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. He came to us, took Paul's belt, tied his own feet and hands and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: " in this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into Gentile hands." When we heard this, both we and the local people begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.

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

Since he would not be persuaded, we stopped talking and simply said, "The Lord's will be done!" Acts 21:10-14

Before the cross Jesus had a similar experience in that He had set His face 'like a flint,' to Calvary. He knew that He knew He must die and be raised again. He did not relish the thought of the punishment but more the result, a salvation that surpassed eons of time, nothing could take away the victory He wrought.

Paul knew he must go to Rome, and in chains if necessary. The Holy Spirit told the disciple, Ananias in Damascus, who He had told to pray over the blind Paul that He, God, would show Paul what he must suffer.

Just as the disciples endeavoured to change Jesus' mind about the cross, so did these disciples endeavour to persuade Paul not to go to Jerusalem. They were wanting to hang onto what they had, but it had to die. A new phase was about to begin, a testing and stretching of the new believers.

We cannot always assume that what feels good, what we have established, is the right thing. If God is moving, so should we be. Amen!