Acts 23 Devotional

The Lord Stood Near

“The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.””Acts 23:11 (BSB)

Paul's hearing before the council goes badly. He is struck on the mouth at the high priest's order, answers him harshly, and then admits he did not know it was the high priest, citing the law against speaking evil of a ruler (23:2-5). The chapter does not make him flawless. Soon the council is in such an uproar that soldiers have to pull him out before he is torn apart (23:10).

The following night the Lord stands near Paul and tells him to take courage. He will bear witness in Rome just as he has in Jerusalem (23:11). The next morning more than forty men swear not to eat or drink until they have killed him (23:12-13). God keeps his promise through the most ordinary means. Paul's nephew overhears the plot, a centurion takes the boy to the commander, and the commander sends Paul off by night under heavy guard (23:16-24). The Lord who stands near his people often works through the ordinary people around them.

To think about: What fear are you facing where you need to take courage from the Lord's nearness, and where might he already be working through ordinary people?