Acts 23--A dark night for Paul

After reading through the missionary travels of Paul in the book of Acts, we might begin to think that he was used to these moments. He is used to standing in vulnerable places and testifying to the person of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. Had he not become familiar with people plotting to take his life? Yet, Paul still has to try and go to sleep at night and wonder about his fate like any of us would. You could only imagine what his evenings were like.

It is at this time that Jesus himself comes and stands by him. This is the way God works. It is not enough that he works on our behalf and teaches us his ways. He wants us to know that he stands by us and is with us no matter what we face.

What would you like The Lord to say to you when he stands next to you in your moments of greatest vulnerability? In our vulnerable moments we are most often tempted to fear and despair. But, are we aware of God’s presence with us by His Spirit? To Paul, Jesus word s were simply, “take courage.” Paul finds a special kind of communion with the Lord in needing to take courage. Jesus himself had a dark night before a trial amidst people plotting his death. Yet, in Gethsemane, when Jesus had his dark night, and needed someone to stand by Him, he was alone. His friends didn’t stand by him—they fell asleep. Even when he came before the father, it wasn’t the same.

Jesus went through the dark night alone so that he himself could stand by us in our dark nights.

Now, Jesus didn’t promise comfort or even safety to Paul. He called him to courage. Often we do not experience his presence with us because we have limited what we are willing to hear from him. Gary Haugen has said it this way, “Jesus did not come to make us safe, but to make us brave.”

What would it look like to find courage from Christ? What situation has he called you to that requires courage? What task do you feel alone in? What awkward conversation is awaiting you? Are there habits of courage that you need to build into your life?