Here I am, exactly half way through the year of living in the understanding that God is with me always and that my walk with Him matters.
This happens to be Canada Day as well – so a shout out to all my Canadian friends – enjoy the incredible fireworks tonight as we celebrate an amazing country that has given us the freedom to be who God has called us to be and the freedom to share Jesus with every newcomer to our country. The world has come to here when so many have tried to keep us out. We are blessed.
This is also the first day where I am stumped in understanding what I think is an important matter. For the past month I have been thinking about Paul and thinking about all the warnings he received about going to Jerusalem. I kept thinking that Paul was following the Spirit’s call and that the warnings were just preparing him for the events about to happen. Yet it was today where I specifically read – through the Spirit they told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. It was a direct command telling him not to go. When he continued on his journey, disregarding the command, then the Spirit told him what he could expect as he continued. But first there was the command not to go.
It is possible that Paul discounted the disciples at Tyre. Maybe he thought they had put too much personal feeling into the prophecy – smudged it a bit. It begs the question though – at what point do we go it alone and stop listening to the advice or counsel or words of prophecy from others? Is our walk with God really one that requires us to walk alone?
I think of all the prophets in the OT that messed up because they listened to someone else who called themselves prophets and I have to answer yes. Even if Paul messed up, he kept true to his walk with God. What Paul accomplished in the next two years were letters that were written that has kept the Church on a solid foundation of faith for thousands of years. Might not have happened if he was travelling all over the world.
Was that really God’s plan? I have to trust the voice that Paul was so comfortable in listening to – that still small voice.
At the end of the day it matters that we make the decision each day to do the same. Take into counsel the words of others, but at the end of the day you are only accountable to God yourself – so hear Him and follow Him – you and Him alone is all that really matters.
Related articles
- Jesus rebuked “them” – but not those we think… (justifiedandsinner.com)
- Tests of a True Prophet (marbaniang.wordpress.com)
Emmanuel 