Acts 21: 1-16

21 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home. 7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. 10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’" 12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” 15 After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.

-Acts 21:1-16

From this passage, I am both amazed and so humbled by the apostle Paul. In verses 4 and 11, Paul is warned by godly people that if he continued towards Jerusalem he would die. But his response to these warnings is filled with so much courage and faith in Christ Jesus. I am ashamed that as a Christian I am unable to relate to what Paul said; that I probably won't be able to say the same words. I think if I were in the same position, I'd be like "peace out" and pull a Jonah, but Paul faces this head-on. 

I am reminded of Jesus's tempting in the desert with this story. Paul might've been tempted to flee this trial, but he overcame that temptation and continued towards Jerusalem to face what God had put before him. Even more so, Jesus on the night he was betrayed, prayed to God that if it were possible that he would not have to die, but ultimately Jesus obeyed and went forward towards the cross.  

I am so thankful and blessed that we have a God who truly is a humble king. God came down as Jesus in the form of man and experienced everything we do as humans and it is very comforting to know that our Father is  Father who is able to understand us through whatever emotions or tribulations we face.