Paul in Bonds (13)

The Old Testament prophets used to speak about having a “burden.” Paul spoke of being in bounds. Paul was captured and conquered by Jesus Christ. Serving God was no “hobby,” fad, or fashion with this Apostle. He was caught in the deeper current of God’s will for his life and lesser affected by the weather conditions on the surface of his circumstances. The major part of an iceberg is hidden beneath the waves. The wind might be blowing in one direction and the mountain of ice moving in another, because of deeper currents. Holy men of God move by “deeper currents.”

Paul’s friends tried everything they could to get him to changes his plans and idea of going to Jerusalem. They knew that he was so hated by the Jews that his very life would be in danger. He was a man caught in the gravitational force that cause him to orbit around the Son. He put danger in perspective by saying “The will of the Lord be done.”

Paul was taken in the temple by those who considered him a traitor and a turn-coat. Even in this, he used the opportunity to speak of Christ. He spoke in Greek to the Chief captain and got permission to address the multitude. Then he spoke to the multitude in their own language. There is a lesson here. We must speak in language that people understand. Paul was bound up in the will of God, but he was not bound to single methods or ways of doing things in order to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was not bound by tradition, nor by the expectations of others, or by fear of what his critics would say. He was not bound by one language, custom, or way of dress.

It might be said of Paul that in any given situation or circumstance Paul was bound to minister the gospel of the grace of God. We should not allow anyone or any thing to “put us in a box.”