Today’s chapter is Acts 20

Tom writes:

The riots, jailbreaks and healing hankies take the headlines but it’s the “small-print” of Paul’s life that really matters. We know he preached a lot and suffered a massive amount, but was there more to his daily routines than bible and bruises? This chapter gives us a unique insight. Paul spent a huge amount of time travelling. Quite often - as in v13 and back in 19:1 - it seems that Paul chose to walk long distances on his own, letting his travel mates take the quicker ship. This self-enforced “slow time” would have forged deep patterns of prayer into Paul’s life. This is a long way from our daily quiet time of 30 minutes. Many of these walks would have taken a week or more; ample time to get real head-space and know a deep replenishing in your soul. When did I last carve out a week with basically nothing to do except walk? Somehow, some time I want to start living that less hurried pace of life I’ve been feeling called to. Another vital part of this small print is the tears. Paul says that every night for three years he cried as he warned the Ephesians about the wolves who would come (v31). Even if there is some hyperbole in the phrase it is still shockingly apparent that tears were a part of daily life for Paul.

He deeply cared for people and he showed them how much he cared. This wasn’t the “preachers cry” in the middle of an anointed sermon - this was face to face, day-and-night weeping. I just don’t think I cry enough to be a proper disciple. And that’s when I think that maybe the two aspects of this small-print are connected? Maybe Paul could love more deeply and expose himself more readily because he had invested hours in the health of his heart. We know he worked hard - every page of his letters testifies to this - but he also nurtured his soul. He flooded his soul with reservoirs of rest so he had amphorae of agape to pour out on people around him. I want to love more. I want to cry more. And so I want to rest more. O Spirit of God, please forge in me rhythms of life that make me deeply useful to you.

Question for reflection

What could you intentionally do to allow reservoirs of God’s rest to flood into your soul?

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Acts 20 - Thursday 29th February