Scripture:
Acts 21:1-14 After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, we sailed straight to the island of Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and then went to Patara. 2 There we boarded a ship sailing for Phoenicia. 3 We sighted the island of Cyprus, passed it on our left, and landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship was to unload its cargo. 4 We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them for a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem. 5 When we returned to the ship at the end of the week, the entire congregation, including women and children, left the city and came down to the shore with us. There we knelt, prayed, 6 and said our farewells. Then we went aboard, and they returned home. 7 The next stop after leaving Tyre was Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed for one day. 8 The next day we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy. 10 Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. 11 He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.13 But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
Observation:
So many people are telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem there are even people prophesying that he should not go, that something bad will happen. Paul has to think that something could go wrong. But Paul is clear about what God wants from him and what God wants him to do and he is not willing to compromise no matter what that may cost him. I can’t help but wonder; what has God called you to do that you are compromising right now? Is there a dream that God has given you but you don’t want to put in the work, or a sin that you are holding on to that you don’t want to give up so you make excuses and make room for it? Or even a spiritual discipline that you know God wants you to do like praying daily, reading your bible, or fasting?
Application:
Stop right now and search your hearts, ask God to reveal to you all the ways big or small that we are composing or making excuses for the things we know He has called us to. Begin to make those changes now, don’t waste any more time not doing what God has called you to do!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, please help me to live according to the calling you have in my life. Lord, please forgive me if I have made compromises when it comes to the things you have called me to do. Help me to be bold in my calling, to not back down or shrink away from you no matter the cost. Help me to live as Paul, fully submitted to you Lord, Amen.