Daily Devotions
Acts 16:9-10 – And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the Gospel to them.
This passage has always intrigued me, because just before it, we see Paul and his fellow travelers wanting to preach in Asia, and then in Bithynia—but “the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.” It never says why the Holy Spirit didn’t want them to go there. Were the people just not ready to hear the Gospel? Was it more urgent to get to Macedonia? We don’t know. We know only that Paul and those with him listened—even though it didn’t make sense in their eyes. They trusted God to know what He was doing.
And that kind of choice comes up for us, too, doesn’t it? Times when we face a problem, and we see an easy shortcut to a quick solution—except maybe it involves doing something not quite right. We know what Jesus is saying about it, if we stop long enough to think; but we don’t want to stop, because then we’d have to obey Him! So we stick our fingers in our ears and say, “La la la, I can’t hear You, Lord!”
Of course, later on we regret that. Because that’s when we find out the hard way exactly why Jesus forbade us to take that route—after we’ve made a mess of our job, or our family, or some situation in the church.
Thank God He’s so patient with us—picking us up again, washing us clean, setting us back in the right direction, time and time again. “Trust Me,” He says. “I love you, and I know what I’m talking about. Don’t go following your own wisdom on this one. Follow Mine. You’ll be glad you did.”
Jesus faced this choice Himself, in His life as a human being in this world. Time and time again He was tempted to follow human wisdom—to take a shortcut to His goal—to avoid the cross. How often the devil whispered, “If You do enough miracles, they’ll follow You anywhere!” Or, “Feed them, and their stomachs will keep them with You.” “Turn this stone into bread—let the people make You king—come down off the cross, even now. And You will have everything You want, without dying.”
But it wasn’t true; it was never true. The road to our salvation ran straight to Calvary—and then to a borrowed tomb. Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection were necessary. Because He died for us, we are forgiven and set free from sin and death. Because He rose from the dead, we who trust in Him will also live forever. Jesus trusted the Father, and how gloriously He was rewarded! And we, too, have all that we need when we trust the Lord and rejoice in His wisdom, which is our salvation.
WE PRAY: Dear Lord, when I am tempted to do what seems best in my own eyes, help me to follow You instead. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. Have you ever been traveling and taken a shortcut, only to have it all go wrong?
2. When have you been tempted to take a shortcut in life even though you were aware God didn’t want you going down that path?
3. Why is God’s wisdom our safety and salvation?