Working Out

So Paul and Silas travel all over the world preaching the gospel. They don’t go anywhere unless God tells them to, but for a while He doesn’t tell them to leave the place they’re at. Finally, while at Troas, God sends a vision to Paul of a man in Macedonia, beckoning to him. So the two set out for Macedonia to look for that man calling them over.

Lots of people have visions. Maybe not in the form of special dreams that come to them, but just in a calling from God. My mom had a dream a long time ago of having lots of kids, a little while later, she had one of those real visions the she would end with two sons. My dad is another one of those people. He is a pilot. He has loved flying for years and years, and he's been very excited about living next to an airstrip and having our own hangar so he can fly often. He really thought God was calling him to be a missionary pilot. He even went through an aviation program and everything. He was pretty sure he was headed for the mission field.

Once the two men arrive at their destination, I’m sure they’re desirous of finding that man calling them. But they have an interruption. By the shore of the island, a crowd of ladies are hanging out, washing their laundry. And Paul and Silas stop to talk with them. Now, I can see how it would be frustrating to be deterred from their vision.. They’re thinking that they’re on a mission to find man who desperately needs them, that they share the gospel with him, and change his life. Rather than being angry, however, Paul’s missionary heart kicks in and he begins to witness to these women. In the end, he meets Lydia, who is a Christian and he really encourages her and her family.

Well, Paul finishes talking to the ladies, and is on his way. And yet, something occurred to distract from his mission again. This time there is much more cause for frustration because he is arrested! So Paul and Silas are stuck in prison—completely a dead end. Why did God send him a vision of a man beckoning for help, only to let them be in prison? But Paul trusts God, so (we know what he did) he and Silas pray and praise God with singing!

Both of my parents were distracted from their visions they had. Amongst all of us kids, my mom had 8 miscarriages. So many times, she would be excited to add another to her “collection,” but would be let down in a situation that seemed tragic. The last two were especially difficult. They were twin boys and they came right after her ninth child. It just seemed so perfect. She had 9 children, and was reaching the end of her fruitful years and now this would fulfill her vision—ending with two boys. So she named them and prepared for their birth, but they also miscarried. God fulfilled her dream though, because after 8 years in between Mark, Malachi was born. He was her last kid, and she ended with two boys. My dad never did become a missionary. Why would he have had that desire and that calling, only to be disappointed? But what he did end up doing was teaching at a college to train younger people to go be aviation missionaries.

God also works it out for Paul and Silas. As they’re singing, He sends an earthquake, breaking their chains, and busting the doors open. The jailer freaks out and is about to kill himself, when Paul stops him. The man believes on Jesus, and he and his family’s lives are changed. I think this was the man in Paul’s vision. It took distractions, problems, and prison, but God caused it to work.

God always fulfills what He starts with us!!!!