Acts 16:1-15 (NIV)
Read by: Kim Koi
It’s one thing to trust God when the way forward is obvious. It’s way more complicated when the way forward is unclear and filled with questions.
Today’s passage on Daily Read shows us just how complicated trying to participate in God’s work in the world can be. Paul and his companions are on their way through the province where they had previously planted churches announcing the decision from Jerusalem that Gentiles do not need to be circumcised to belong to the family of God.
During this time they meet Timothy, who’s mother is jewish and his father is greek. This makes him a jew by birth, but uncircumsized by his greek father. Paul wants Timothy to join them in their ministry, and circumcises Timothy. Hold on, didn’t we just decide that circumcision wasn’t needed. That’s right, it’s not, not to be included in God’s Family. But the work they are called to required them to go to the synagogues first, which means they need to be ritually acceptable to get in the door. Pauls not contradicting himself, rather he and his companions are committed to doing everything they can to not create unnecessary obstacles for the message they’re delivering.
If this isn’t complicated enough, they have been kept by the Spirit from preaching in Asia, which is basically everything on the left between them and the sea, and as they travel, the Spirit continues to block them. So basically they can’t go right or left and end up at Troas, which is a coastal city… just waiting. Now this isn’t just a day’s worth of travel, it’s like a 200 mile walk. Three weeks. Sandals, dangerous roads, new companions… then a dream.
Sometimes we experience being left with nowhere else to go, feeling blocked by God. But sometimes it’s because we lack the imagination of where God could call us. Paul sees a vision, and even though it’s a call to a place way outside of the box for a pharisee turned missionary from Tarsus, he still can’t quite imagine what he actually finds there.
----------REFLECT----------
1. What stood out to you in today’s passage?
2. Paul has Timothy circumcised in order to not create barriers to the good news among the Jews they’re preaching to. It’s clear from the last chapter that Paul doesn’t think this is necessary, but he and Timothy do what it takes to appeal to the people they’re called to. Are there ways that you need to limit yourself, change behaviour to appeal to people God’s called you to serve?
3. Paul and his companions find Lydia, not a man waving his arms. For 200 miles they couldn’t imagine that God would call them to Macedonia, but even in the call they couldn’t imagine finding women, yet they enter in and follow Jesus. How might the Spirit be stretching your imagination when it comes to where and who he might be calling you to serve?
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Bible Project: Acts 13-28 Overview >>
InterVarsity Press Selections: Acts >>
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