God Provides

“The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.’”

Acts 23:11

Has someone ever told you “God will provide” when you are worrying about something? Or maybe you yourself offered this “word of advice” to someone? Have you ever really thought about those words or have they become so routine that it comes automatically? Those couple of words “God provides” actually says a whole lot. To me, I think it is really a statement of faith, “I believe.”

When St. Paul defended himself before the Jewish officials, he used what he knew about each group to his advantage and soon the two groups began to argue and Paul was moved to safety. We are told that the Lord came to him at night, encouraged him, and tasked him with a mission. St. Paul knew that it was the Lord who got him through safely earlier and he trusted that God will bring him safely to his next destination and bring great good out of it. St. Paul believed that “God provides.”

Sometimes in our lives we may feel lost and perhaps that the whole world is against us. It is at these moments that we must take to heart the words “God provides.” It’s not just a reassuring phrase for the mind, it’s a confession of faith and trust in who God is and who we are. When we say “God provides,” may our hearts be moved knowing that God indeed does provide and that He will give to us all that we need at that particular moment. Just as the Lord brought St. Paul safely out of the arguments between the two groups of Jewish officials and then revealed to him what he needed to do next, so will God take us each one step at a time, giving to us what we need for each step, and when the time comes, He will stand by our side and say, “Take courage. I am with you. I will provide.”

Wolves Among the Sheep

“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock. And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after them.”

Acts 20:29-30

From the earliest beginnings of the Church, there has always been the threat of division and separation. We can see this in the Great Schism of 1054 when the Eastern Christian Churches broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and also later in the Protestant Reformation, resulting in the numerous denominations of Christianity. Even to this day there remain threats to the communion and unity that Jesus prayed for us.

We see this today with the problem of intercommunion in the German Church. There are wolves among the sheep threatening the safety and unity of the flock still today. There will be people who will use persuasive tactics in manipulating the people, drawing them away from the Church. They may pose arguments that may say “It should be about God and not the Church” or “Jesus was all about love” or “Jesus said to love everyone” or other similar lines. We must stay faithful to Jesus who established the Church on the rock that is Peter. Our faith is a gift from God, who we have come to know through the Scriptures and Tradition and that has been safeguarded by the teaching office of the Church. Jesus knew what He was talking about. Who are we to say that “Jesus actually meant this…?”

May His Word stand above all other words, no matter how appealing and persuasive they may be. These wolves will not have the last word. This is the Lord’s flock. Let’s stay together.

Hardships Lie Ahead

“But now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem. What will happen to me there I do not know, except that in one city after another the Holy Spirit has been warning me that imprisonment and hardships await me.”

Acts 20:22-23

If you knew that a certain decision will lead to hardships, would you go through with it? Now, of course I am not talking about obvious decisions that lead to danger like choosing to walk off a cliff or crossing the street when you clearly see a truck coming towards you at high speed. The decisions I am referring to are those that pull on the heartstrings, tug at the heart, and boggle the conscience. The decision of standing up for what is right and pursuing the truth.

When St. Paul bid farewell to the people, he knew that if he went to Jerusalem he will likely face imprisonment and hardships. He went because he was moved by the Spirit to do so. Obedience to the Spirit is what allowed St. Paul to move forward to Jerusalem even if it means hardships. He went because He believed that God will bring good out of it, whatever the situation may be.

It is difficult to see the good and the blessings when we are in the midst of our struggles and hardships. But, we must have faith that good will come, that our hardships and suffering are not for nothing. When we are faced with difficult decisions, may we always turn to prayer, listening to the Spirit so that we may know how to proceed and receive the courage to move forward even if hardships lie ahead.