Acts 21:12-16: a reflection

12When we heard these things, both we and the people of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The Lord’s will be done.” 15After these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem. 16Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would stay.

As Paul travels toward Jerusalem, prophets and friends warn him repeatedly that imprisonment and suffering await him there, and they beg him with tears not to go. But Paul is resolved: What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? he says. I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. He will not be turned aside from what he believes God has called him to, even by the love and tears of his friends, even by the certainty of suffering. And when they cannot dissuade him, his companions yield: The Lord's will be done.

Notice two hard things held together here. Paul's readiness to suffer and die for Christ, refusing to let even the pleas of those who love him turn him from obedience. And his friends' painful surrender: unable to change his mind, they entrust him to God with the words, the Lord's will be done, releasing the one they love into a path they fear. Both the going and the letting-go were costly acts of faith.

Both speak to us. There are times when following Christ faithfully means accepting cost and suffering, and not letting even the love and fear of those closest to us turn us aside from what God has called us to. And there are times when we must do the harder thing of releasing someone we love into a costly path, unable to protect them, entrusting them to God with the surrender, the Lord's will be done. Whether you are the one called to a hard obedience or the one who must let a loved one go to it, learn from this scene: hold to God's call even at cost, and when you cannot control the outcome, surrender it to God, saying, the Lord's will be done.

Lord, Paul was ready to be imprisoned and even to die for the name of Jesus, refusing to be turned from your call even by the tears of those who loved him; and his friends, unable to dissuade him, surrendered him to you: the Lord's will be done. Give me both kinds of courage. When following you faithfully means accepting cost, help me not to let even the love and fear of those closest to me turn me aside from your call. And when I must release someone I love into a hard path I cannot protect them from, help me entrust them to you with that same surrender: your will be done. Teach me to hold to your call and to yield what I cannot control into your hands.