Acts 22:30-23:35
Now the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush… (v. 16a) Just five verses earlier we have the Lord speaking to Paul and telling him not to worry, that He had things under control. So He makes things happen in His own unique way. Paul was from Tarsus; did Paul’s sister live in Rome? Nothing is said explicitly about Paul’s sister; maybe she still lived in Tarsus and Paul’s nephew had come to Jerusalem to study, just as Paul had done years before. Three times in this reading Paul’s nephew is referred to as a “young man” (vv. 17, 18, 22). I’m thinking teenager or pre-teen. How could this young man even be nearby to hear this plot? More evidence that he was studying under one of the Jewish leaders…? Did no one of the leaders or from the crowd recognize him as Paul’s nephew? Finally, how could a “young man” get through the Roman security to see his uncle? Then beyond all that, I discuss in the second link below Paul’s influence with the Roman authorities. With his nephew’s message, I’m sure Paul reflected back to the Lord’s words to him the night before. I hope we look back regularly to see how the Lord worked in our lives when we faced difficult times!
See also: July 21 / Acts 23:1-10; July 22 / Acts 23:11-22; July 23 / Acts 23:23-35
There is a great country ballad about a young mother headed home to her parents, with a baby in the back, and while crying from an obviously bad situation left behind, she loses control of the car on an icy road, and simply takes her hands off the steering wheel and prays, “Jesus, take the wheel”.
I can remember a few times, when in despair, I asked the same thing. Left to our own devices, it’s not long before we find ourselves with two wheels in the ditch. If we would simply have let Jesus “drive our bus”, how much better would our lives have been?
As the Lord protected his faithful minister, Paul, we need to be faithful, so that He might protect us when we are in trouble or need. “Take courage…” When in desperation, we seek his divine intervention, it seems by living more faithful lives, He will get us through; even when others wait in ambush.
Thank you for your faithful delivery of these verses and your personal thoughts. These readings and the discussion that follows helps to keep our bus moving down the right path!
Fred, Tom, yes, just let God take charge. He knows when we are past ourselves, but He waits for us to ask. What a Gentleman! I knew I was past myself when I had the lung surgery and cancer treatments. I couldn’t coherently pray, but the prayer shawl I received physically reminded me of Who was in charge.