Saturday, August 5, 2017
GUIDANCE
We all need guidance many times in our lives. So did the Apostle Paul and his little group of missionaries as they made their way across Asia Minor. And guidance they received as they "traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to" (Acts 16:6-7).
Astonishing! Here was the man to whom Jesus had appeared outside Damascus, whom God had blinded and given sight to at the same time, to whom God had sent Ananias, baptizing and welcoming him into God's vineyard. The Lord had seemingly gone out of His way to make Paul His preacher, and now the Spirit keeps him from preaching the Word!
Of course, now it is clear to us that it was NOT that God did not care about the people of Asia and Bithynia, but that He had something else in mind for Paul. So He prevented Paul from doing something that in itself would have been good.
Sometimes the guidance of God comes in a negative way, doesn't it? Sometimes we might even be prevented from doing something good. When the apostles could not both preach and wait on tables, they elected deacons for the tables.
Sometimes following God's Word prevents us from preaching the gospel here or there. For example, when it would mean joining together with those who split from the Life-giving Word, God says, "Don't compromise my Word, even to preach the Gospel." But, even then, as with Paul, God has a positive purpose, that the nations might receive an unmutilated Christ as their Hope of Salvation!
