And so we came to Rome

I've been waiting to post some pictures from my 4th of July weekend. Hopefully, I'll still get to that in the future. In the mean time, I would like to share an insight I received yesterday while doing my Bible reading.

Acts 28 records the last leg of Paul's trip to Rome, culminating in the simple statement at the end of verse 14, "And so we came to Rome." I've read through the book of Acts several times, and so I know that I've rushed past this particular verse before, without so much as a moment to ponder its power. Yesterday, however, I remembered that earlier in chapter 23 the Lord promised Paul that he would one day testify about Jesus in Rome. Acts 28:14 is the statement of fulfillment for that promise...3 years later.

When the Lord Jesus appeared to Paul and promised that he would preach in Rome, Paul had no idea that he would first spend two years in prison; that he would first share his faith with 3 Roman governors; that he would first be shipwrecked; that he would first declare God's promise to save all 276 passengers aboard that doomed ship; that he would first spend 3 more months ministering to the people on the island, and that only then would he be allowed to go to Rome.

We may hear the promise of God or sense where He may be leading us, but rarely do we realize the places He will take us along the way.