Today, we come to a section of the book of Acts that, at first glance, might not seem like it has a lot to offer us in terms of application for our everyday lives. But hang in there with me because I think there’s more here than meets the eye.
The apostle Paul is stuck in the middle of a bureaucratic Roman court system. For two years, he has been under arrest in Caesarea. The leaders in Jerusalem still hope to ambush and kill him at some point. And Governor Felix keeps hoping to get a bribe from Paul in exchange for his freedom. Everything feels stuck.
Then all of a sudden, Felix loses his position and is replaced by a guy named Porcius Festus. I’m sure this felt like the breakthrough Paul was waiting for. But Festus ends up being just as corrupt as Felix. When that realization dawns, Paul leverages his right as a Roman citizen when faced with corruption and proclaims, “I appeal to Caesar.”
What’s interesting to me is that Paul had this ace up his sleeve the whole time. So the question is, “Why now?” He could have appealed at any point during the two years he was stuck in jail, but he waited until this moment. How did he discern it was time to appeal? How did he know this was God’s will for him?
Discerning God’s path for us in life is something we all wrestle with at times. What is God’s will for our future? I see Paul modeling three practices here that are helpful and full of wisdom for us: Strategic Patience, Proactive Dependence, and Hopeful Surrender. Let’s dive in and learn how to discern God’s path for our lives. For we are loved, more than we know!
