It Just So Happened

Paul was in trouble. Called by God to take the gospel to the Gentiles, he found his life in peril, threatening to cut short a mission that had yet to really begin. Yet God had his plan.

Detained in the barracks of Roman soldiers, protective custody of sorts against the violent mobs, we wonder what Paul must have been thinking. Scripture gives us a bit of insight by how the Lord spoke into Paul's turmoil:

"The following night the Lord stood by Paul and said, 'Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome'" (Acts 23:11)

That pastoral statement meets Paul at his point of need to attend to his fear and to compel him in mission. But it is what follows that makes it even more remarkable.

The text goes on to describe a plot. More than 40 Jews conspired to do away with Paul. The plan was to have him transported to the council of Jewish authorities for further inquiry. On the way, the conspirators would waylay Paul and kill him.

It just so happened that Paul's nephew was present at the right time and in the right place to overhear the plan. The nephew brings news of the plot to the Roman commander. The result is that Paul is taken under the cloak of darkness, under the guard of 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen and 200 spearmen to the next leg of his journey that would eventually take him to Rome.

What's so striking about all that military might for Paul's transport is that it flows out of the statement in v. 11 by Jesus that Paul would testify about him in Rome. Jesus used those means to ensure his purposes. Not only did the plot fail to kill Paul, it actually served in expediting God's timetable.

I doubt that the Roman soldiers knew they were ultimately following the orders of the King of kings, but we know. The "it just so happened" events of our lives may seen random to us, but our God is at the helm.

That means we can not only find courage in the midst of our fears, we can find confidence as well knowing that the Lord who is with us is the Lord of all that comes to pass. His purposes will be served.