Paul’s Courage
Christian faith has always carried both a theology of suffering and a theology of joy. Trouble comes when one voice drowns out the other.
Jesus spoke of crosses, and also of lilies in the field and birds in the open air.
He wept at the grave of his friends and rejoiced at wedding tables.
He knew death and overflowing life, sacrifice and friendship, sorrow and joy.
Jesus moved through the whole landscape of human feeling. And when we know him, we are invited to live like him. We can suffer without surrendering hope, and to laugh without forgetting sorrow.
Paul’s life shows the same tension between suffering and joy. Through it all, he was sustained by Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit, finding hope in dark places and joy in the steady love, power, and strength of God.
In Acts, Paul stands before temple leaders and Pharisees and tells of the blazing vision that met him on the road to Damascus. When his words are finished, the crowd does not applaud him, they are ready to tear him apart.
Acts 22:30, 23:6-11
Since the Commander wanted to find out what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to meet. He brought Paul down and had him stand before them.
When Paul noticed that some were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he called out in the council, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead.’ When he said this, a dissension began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge all three.) Then a great clamour arose, and certain scribes of the Pharisees’ group stood up and contended, ‘We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?’ When the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go down, take him by force, and bring him into the barracks.
That night the Lord stood near him and said, ‘Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome.”
Paul carried within him a deep assurance that gave him courage before rulers, religious leaders, and raging crowds. He stood firm because somewhere deeper than fear, he knew God saw him, held him, and delighted in him. And still, God drew near and whispered, “Take courage. There is more ahead. You will not be lost in this.”
Paul, who had met Jesus face to face on the road to Damascus, still needed words of courage and hope.
Perhaps you do too.
Do not be afraid. Do not lose heart. God is already preparing good things before you.
Pray:
God, give me courage where I am weak, grace and strength when I am empty, faith to move mountains, and love as vast as the ocean. Keep my courage and strength from failing when everything around me shakes. Guide me with your love, Shower me with your grace.
Read these words aloud, and let their hope settle gently over you:
Psalm 121:
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Go in grace, held by the God of the universe who knows your name, accompanied by Jesus who remains nearer than a brother, and filled with the Spirit of God, your comforter and your peace.