Protecting the message of peace
Then the commander called two of his officers and said, ‘Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, together with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, and be ready to leave by nine o’clock tonight. Provide some horses for Paul to ride and get him safely through to Governor Felix.’ (verses 23,24)
Read Acts 23: 23-35
Imagine your pastor coming to church with an armed guard or police escort. You’d be wondering why the pastor needed such protection.
Paul needed protection from people who were trying to kill him. A messenger of God was being protected by a non-believing government and its soldiers.
We may not see our pastors getting armed escorts around our cities or towns, but, in another way, our government does protect and encourage the church in its work. God works through the government, police and armed services to establish and maintain order, so that his message of peace and forgiveness through Jesus can go out unhindered.
You can give thanks to God for providing you with a good government (no matter who you may have voted for) that doesn’t stop the church from doing its work. Pray that other countries may receive the same benefit.
Dear heavenly Father, continue to guide all leaders and armed forces to maintain peace, so that your message about Jesus may reach all people. Amen.
by Stuart Kleinig, in ‘Guidance for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2002)
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