In Acts 20, we are told that the Holy Spirit was warning Paul in every city. When we get to Acts 21, we find more specifics of those warnings. Agabus clearly says that Paul will be bound and arrested in Jerusalem. Why does the Holy Spirit give these warnings? My first inclination is to think that he's warning Paul in order to protect him. But if that's the case, Paul isn't listening. To no avail, his friends plead with him not to go up to Jerusalem. He is insistent on going.
If we look closer at the warnings though, we realize that the message from the Spirit is not, "Don't go to Jerusalem or they will arrest you." The message is simply, "You will be arrested." Perhaps these prophecies were not so much a warning as they were a preparation for Paul and his friends. When bad things happen, one of the first questions we ask is, "What did I do wrong?" Another is, "Where is God?" Sometimes, it has nothing to do with what we did and, God never stops being God. By warning Paul and his friends, the Holy Spirit has prepared them for this trial. They are now able to say, "The Lord's will be done." (Acts 21:14)
It seems difficult for us to accept, but sometimes hard times are a part of God's plan. Paul is arrested in Jerusalem even though he does absolutely nothing wrong. In fact he is fulfilling a vow according to the law so that everyone will know that he has not been teaching Jews to ignore the law. He is arrested for the very thing he's trying to avoid. But God had other plans. Through this arrest Paul will have an all expenses paid evangelistic tour to Rome. God is in control.
Father, I confess that sometimes I have a difficult time seeing past the problems to your sovereignty. I'm not asking you to give me a warning before every problem I'll face, although, I wouldn't turn that down. I am just grateful that you have promised your grace to always be sufficient. In the end, by your grace, may I be found faithful. With the early believers, in faith I say, "The Lord's will be done."
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