Thursday, September 27, 2018
Acts 28:14 There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome.
AND SO WE CAME TO ROME
And so we came to Rome. Does it matter how Paul got to Rome? Well, it surely must have mattered to Paul that Luke and Aristarchus were with him on that journey to Rome. And it mattered that they met fellow-believers along the way, so much so that they stayed with them for seven days at Puteoli.
Later Paul wrote from prison to Timothy, "Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonika. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry" (2 Timothy 4:9-11).
All along the way, Paul welcomed opportunities to share his joy in Christ, the Friend who laid down his life even for His enemies!
Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.
Enjoying the fellowship of kindred minds was how Paul came to Rome.
And so we came to Rome. Although this was the goal of the journey, it was not heaven. It was not to rest that Paul so badly wanted to reach Rome, but to work, to send out from Rome the glad news of peace with God to every corner of the empire, as the Lord gave opportunity.
Grant us Your peace throughout our earthly life,
Our Balm in sorrow and our Stay in strife;
Then, when Your voice shall bid our conflict cease,
Call us, O Lord, to Your eternal peace.
