Luke the beloved physician wrote how Paul and the men with him, “sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted. And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot”, and in chapter twenty and verse fourteen of the book of Acts Luke shared, “when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene” where we read:
And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.
The verse begins, “And when he met with us at Assos, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when he met us” which means “and at the time and moment Paul came together with and join himself to his fellow disciples” “at Assos” whose name means “approaching” and was “a seaport of the Roman province of Asia in the district anciently called Mysia, on the north shore of the Gulf of Adramyttium, and about 7 miles (11 km) from Lesbos”. Luke shared about the time he and the other disciples joined themselves to “Paul” in the city of “Assos”.
The verse continues, “... we took him in, and came to Mitylene.” Luke added the words, “we took him in” which means “we, Luke and the other disciples, received Paul”, “and came to Mitylene” or “and arose and appeared to the chief maritime town of the island of Lesbos in the Aegean” whose name means “ mutilated”. Luke shared how he and “Paul's” fellow disciples joined with him and then traveled to the town of “Mitylene”.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Paul” walked to the city of “Assos”, joined with his fellow believers and they traveled together to another city named “Mitylene”. God's desire is to reach everyone with His “gospel” of salvation through His Son Jesus, and when they submit themselves to Him, He will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life. This is why “Paul” and those with him walked and traveled by ship wherever the “Lord” led them. As we continue to study the travels and purpose of the life of “Paul”, let us be mindful that God has a plan for every person who will yield themselves to His Son Jesus and His ways.
Next time Luke shares how Paul and his companions, “sailed” to more cities, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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