2008.02.14 Your Way or the Highway! Acts 21:14

Act 21:14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "Let the will of the Lord be done."

Does Agabus' prophecy help the believers at this point. In some sense it put them into a state of fear for Paul's life, but it simply tells of what will hapen. It is the believers who assume this outcome will be bad and should be avoided.

But paul has a different understanding of this prophecy, it seems to almost prepare him or even strengthen his desire to go. For he knows that he is ready to go for the name of Jesus. He would not back down simply because of death or imprisonment.

The body of believers than conceded their persuading and asked that God's will would be done. We don't know what they end up doing, but it doesn't seem like that ask God that Paul would not go anymore or that he would not be imprisoned.

Let the will of the Lord be done. That must have been really difficult for the body to swallow. They have been close with Paul and they love him so much, but their love for God has to be greater in order to believe and trust that even if their dear friend's death or imprisonment is okay.

Father, I pray that you would give me the wisdom to distinguish between my own selfishness and what your will may be. For it can appear that doing your will is foolishness, but help me see it as life. Amen.

2008.02.11 The true scapegoat. Ex 16.21-22

Lev 16:21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness.
Lev 16:22 The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness.

Symbolically this was necessary for the atonement of the nation. How would it be to see the sins being confessed by the peoples and to see the priest confessing all the sins onto this goat. It must have been somewhat humiliating as well, because it seemed like people new each other's sins. There wasn't much of a filter as far as what people knew.

But what a relief to see the sin leave the camp, to no longer be seen or reminded of it again. And yet now we have in Christ a true scapegoat that in this same way we can see our sins depart us and we have no connection to them whatsoever.

Father, help me to realize my forgiveness in you and this free gift that is offered to so many. May I live in truth of your sons work on my behalf. Amen.