Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to life, I like to (“like to” is the key phrase there) think I am pretty well-equipped and know what I am doing most of the time. Whether at work or dealing with issues that pop up here and there. But somehow, I always seem to find times in my life when, though I think I have everything covered, I in fact do not. In recent memory, I have not ordered enough food for The Gathering (our young adult/college ministry that meets at 6:30 on Tuesday nights - I am not above a shameless plug) on at least two occasions. Luckily, we somehow had just enough, through fasting or small portions, not sure which. Don’t worry, I have learned and now try to order more food than I think is needed!

I imagine there have been times when you either feel unprepared, forget, or are unaware of something happening. You feel prepared and think you have all your bases covered, and then - boom! Something crazy happens! We cannot always plan for a perfect future, and we will not always know what is ahead. Paul deals with this very same reality in today’s reading.

As we read, it is amazing to see how smart Paul is when dealing with the Sanhedrin (like a congress for Israel, with two parties, Pharisees and Sadducees)! He is smart and turns the Pharisees and the Sadducees against each other, so they argue with each other instead of focusing on Paul. Paul really is the king of debating. God truly equipped him for the mission of the gospel, but also with the ability to defend himself in front of these men. BUT as we read, we see that his smarts and cunning strategies would not always going to save him.

We see there is still a plot to murder him, and there is nothing he can do about it. We see he didn’t even know it was happening! Paul’s nephew informed him of the plot to kill him, and Paul was carried away safely and protected by Roman guards. We see here that the unexpected can happen, but God used what I like to call Divine Protection. Though it seemed the opposition was against Paul, God still had a plan. God protected Paul through his nephew and then the Roman guards.

God has a plan for each of our lives, and He will accomplish it! I am not saying life will be easy, because we see Paul’s life was not easy. But what we can rest in is that God is on our side, He is our great protector and sustainer. David even says in Psalm 18:2: "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

The truth is that the enemy is always seeking to destroy us, “prowling like a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8). We see many of the battles as we face them, but there are many we do not see or even know about. God is our protector in the seen and unseen world. It is easy to forget this, but God loves you, and He values you. Remember this truth as you continue through your day. Rest and lean on this hope. God is on your side, and even in the difficult moments, God is fighting on your side for you!

Rest in this truth, I encourage you to write these verses down on a piece of paper and carry them with you throughout your day today.

Set a reminder on your phone every hour throughout the day to remind yourself to read these verses and remember that God loves you and is your Protector.

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises? 
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you? 
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.