Another Recounting
ACTS 26: 1-32 (July 8)
I have a 4-year-old grandson. I love him to pieces. In fact, he tells me he is my "best fwend", Part of my job as Grammy is to teach him right from wrong. I try to explain things to him so he will understand what he is doing that might be inappropriate behavior.
The hard part of this is that I find I am often repeating the same thing to him over and over ... and over. I feel like a broken record. It is necessary but frustrating at times.
The same applies to the two teen-age bodies that reside in my house. They are a strange specimen ... these two beings that show their faces when they are hungry, or when they need to go to the mall. The rest of the time is a battle to see the color of their eyes, when those eyes would rather be looking at a phone screen or a television.
Once again, I find myself repeating the same thing over and over to them, hoping that one day that may FINALLY understand what I am trying to say.
As I read today's scripture, I get frustrated for Paul. Here he is ... yet again, telling the same story of defense that he has spoken numerous times in the past. Does anyone hear him ... REALLY HEAR HIM? Will he ever get his message across to these Jews who continue to persecute him at every turn?
Today he is sharing his story with King Agrippa, Bernice, Festus, and the rest of the audience of prominent people. He gives the entire recounting ... AGAIN ... of his past violence against believers, his transformation, and all he has done since then. He must feel like I often do ... like a broken record!
After hearing all he has to say, the King talked the charges over with the others and they all agreed that he had done nothing to deserve death or imprisonment. King Agrippa said to Festus, "He could have been set free if he hadn't appealed to Cesar." But because Paul had requested the audience with Cesar, he would have to be taken to Italy by the officers.
Where will Paul find himself when he gets there? Most likely, he will find himself offering ANOTHER RECOUNTING of his testimony. He won't be talking to preschoolers. He won't be talking to techie teens. But he will be talking to people who might not want to hear what he has to say.