Acts 23:16 “So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.”

April 20th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Shortly after Paul arrived in Jerusalem, the Jews rose up and tried to kill him. To protect him, the Romans took him into custody. But the Jews further plotted how they could kill him, and 40 of them took an oath that they would not eat or drink until they had killed him. But Paul’s nephew heard about it and went to the authorities. This is the only clear reference in Scripture to Paul’s family. Just why Paul’s nephew was away from the family home in Tarsus isn’t explained. In Philippians 3:8, Paul seems to suggest that his family disinherited him when he became a Christian.

“How lucky,” the atheist might say, “that Paul’s nephew heard the report of an ambush and could warn his uncle.” Although this may read like it was a coincidence, it was actually a supernatural intervention by God. This was God’s providence intervening in a supernaturally-natural way. Often the Lord works in our lives in such a natural way that we don’t realize at the time that something supernatural is taking place. God wants to train our hearts and eyes to be able to see the supernatural in the natural events in our daily lives.

God’s providence simply means that God works behind the scenes carefully orchestrating the daily proceedings of the believer’s life. Providence means seeing a need ahead of time and making provision for that need. God sees where events are going before they actually take place and then intervenes by moving everything toward a goal that He has in mind. Some see God’s providence as an overriding, unbending manipulation of events that cannot be thwarted. But God does not have to be that heavy handed, especially if we are listening. Look, pay attention, and listen for Him.

“LORD, make us more sensitive to Your still small voice today. Give us eyes to see Your hand in the supernaturally-natural things going on around us.”