It's only fitting that we get to Chapter 28 in the middle of Finale Week, right? Sunday night, all the Lost questions were answered. Monday night, Jack ran off into the sunset. Tuesday night, Gibbs came back from Mexico and is in a pickle. Last night, Lee DeWyze took home the prize. For me personally, not one of those finales lived up to the hype. Each time I was left wanting more - more action, more answers, more resolved.
Chapter 28 of Acts isn't much different for me. I read the chapter and finished wanting more - more action, more answers and more resolved. I wanted to see Paul before Caesar - that's what we've been waiting for isn't it?
That said, I did have one phrase that rang out a little louder than everything else as I read the chapter. The phrase is found at the end of v. 20: I'm a hostage here for hope, not doom.
Have you ever considered your current difficulties to be part of your life for hope? Don't we often look at our difficulties and ask, "God, why me?" We assume that our difficulties are here for our doom. Paul saw things from a different perspective. He saw that there was something out there that was much larger than his current circumstances.Can you imagine how our lives would be different if we saw our "trials" as a means for hope? How would those around us view us? What kind of church would we be? What kind of grace would we lavish out on others? I want that.
Hope: I can cope with the difficulties of life and death because of the hope I have in Jesus Christ.
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