Acts 26:30-32 NASB The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.” And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
 

I remember reading this verse before and being sad for Paul. I thought if he had only known, maybe he wouldn’t have appealed to Caesar! But reading through Acts this time, I finally got it. Paul wanted to go to Rome to spread the Gospel: he was given that desire by the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:21). But instead of travelling directly to Rome, the Holy Spirit sent him to Jerusalem first, even though he was warned that it was a dangerous place for him. His imprisonment and trial, and finally his appeal to Caesar, was God’s plan to take Paul to Rome, where he was able to minister from prison. What if Paul hadn’t trusted God’s plan (Acts 23:11) and was set free by King Agrippa? Well there were many Jews lying in wait to kill him before we ever would have reached Rome (Acts 25:3).

God’s plan may not take us directly from Point A to Point B. Sometimes we go all the way to Point Z before we get to Point B! I know I’ve questioned His path for me, but I’ve got to have faith in His plan: after all, He is the only one who knows where the story ends!

-Kevi

 

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