April 4, 2011

Reading for April 4 - 8

Acts 23:12-24:21

Monday

“a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. (but) the commander called two of his officers and ordered,. . . . .take 200 spearmen and 70 mounted troops. Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix.“ Acts 23:12-24

So, why does God save some, like Paul, and not save others, like (fill in the blank)

Pastor’s Reflection

God intervened and saved Paul's life. God used the enemy (the Romans) of the chosen people (the Jews) to save God's chosen servant (Paul) from God's chosen people. Lots of irony here.

God saved Paul, but let the apostle James die by the sword. I suspect James's family may have reacted like Mary and Martha reacted to the death of Lazarus. "Lord why didn't you do something? why did you save Peter and not James?

I apologize in advance if this answer sounds too simplistic or insensitive. However here's how my simple mind works. We live in a broken world, far worse than most of us are willing to admit. In a very broken world, very broken things happen. This changes the question for me. I do not ask, why me, why him, why her, etc. Instead I ask why not me. And the answer is Grace. I live by grace, not by merit. Why have I been spared and not someone else? I know for sure it's not because I deserve to live any more than anyone else. I simply chalk it up to grace and to my best to feel and live gratitude to the depths of my being.

Check out Jesus's answer to a similar inquiry in Luke 13:1-5.