The beloved physician Luke wrote how Paul told the elders in Ephesus, “I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how that so laboring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, ...”, and in chapter twenty and verse thirty-eight of the book of Acts Luke shared how the Ephesians were, “sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they should see his face no more” where we read:
Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke,
that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
The verse begins, “Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, ...” Luke began with the words, “Sorrowing most of all” which means “in anguish, intense pain, torment and distress especially, chiefly and above everything else” “for the words” or “on behalf of the speeches, utterances, declarations and proclamations” “which he spoke” which means “that Paul uttered, declared and proclaimed”. Luke shared the reason the “elders” were “weeping and embracing” “Paul” was because of the speeches he gave to them.
The verse goes on to say, “... that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.” Luke continued with the words, “that they should see his face no more” which means “that they, the elders in the church of Ephesus would observe and behold the countenance of Paul not any longer”. “And they accompanied him” or “and the elders in the church in Ephesus escorted and brought Paul” “unto the ship” which means “to the sailing vessel or boat”. Luke shared how the “elders in Ephesus” were mostly upset because they would behold the countenance of “Paul” no longer.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we vicariously discover the emotional separation of “Paul” and the “elders in Ephesus”. The “elders” knew this would be the last time they would see “Paul” on earth, and they were overcome with emotion about it. God knew there would be times of “separation”, especially through death, for people on the earth, and because this causes great and overwhelming sadness, He developed a redemption plan that would have as many as believe and trust in His Son Jesus to live in Heaven with Him. Though “death” and “separations” on earth appear from time to time, Jesus Christ dying on the cross and being raised from the dead three days later made it possible for everyone who surrenders to Him to be joined together again. Let all who read these words yield to Jesus and look forward to being with those from whom they have been separated on earth.
Next time we begin a new chapter and see Luke share how Paul and the men with him, “came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from there unto Patara”, 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".
No comments:
Post a Comment