“The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.’” – Acts 23:11
Sometimes Jesus’ understanding of good news is very different from ours. But guess what, He’s right!!! Paul had been hauled before riotous crowds that wanted him dead. While spending another night in jail, Jesus appeared to him and delivered good news. The mob wouldn’t manage to kill him. Instead, Paul would be taken as a prisoner to Rome to tell people about Jesus in the same way he had in Jerusalem… at risk for his life, without freedom, and without an alternative. Wouldn’t you love to get good news like that?!?
To Paul (or to us when we find ourselves in a similarly difficult situation), this might not have sounded like awesome news. Continued imprisonment. Years without freedom to travel for his ministry. Continued risk to his life. Ongoing violent and dangerous opposition. In ourselves, we would naturally consider this to be terrible news. But not Jesus!
To Jesus, this was wonderful news! He would be glorified through Paul’s faithful witness in chains. Many souls would be saved as they heard Paul’s testimony about Jesus during the period of years this process would take. Paul would be forced to act in the strength and power of Jesus because he was powerless. This is world-changing good news to Jesus and He’s right!
Realize that life isn’t always going to go the way you hope, imagine, or expect. That doesn’t mean Jesus isn’t present with you, loving you, sustaining you, and empowering you. It just means that He understands much better than you what’s truly good – for you and for those you encounter in your journey with Him. #FollowJesus