We are a culture that often seems to have our vehicles in 2nd gear.  The idea of 1st gear almost seems unnecessary and pointless to many.  We are rushing to get to work on time, hurrying to drop our kids off at school, or maybe hastening to get our devotionals in for the day.  How about you?  Are there things that you always find yourself running to do?  Or do you find that you’re able to keep a nice even pace in life.

Maybe it would be surprising for you to know that the Apostle Paul was actually hastening towards something in his life.  It jumped out as we read and discussed Acts 20 with friends last week.

13 But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. 15 And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 20:13-16)

So Paul was hastening to Jerusalem.  He was in such a hurry that he half-blows off his beloved church of Ephesus.  Seriously, I did a similar thing the other week.  The police commissaire of Iriba wanted me to call when it was time to leave Iriba, so I told Abdulai, “Let’s wait until we’re 20 minutes out of town and then call him.”  Abdulai looked at me and smiled, “Yakuub, you think like a Chadian.”  The thought was that at that point we’re legitimately too far to be asked to come by the office or be held back in any way.  I think Paul was trying to balance his affection for the church of Ephesus and his earnestness to get to Jerusalem.

But what was waiting for him in Jerusalem?  What was he hastening there for?  Thankfully the Word of God doesn’t leave us without answers here as Paul actually had a testimony of what he was running to in Jerusalem.  A great party?  Wonderful friends?  Think again:
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22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. (Acts 20:22-23)

Ummm…hello Paul?!?  Excuse me…you don’t hasten to harm, you run away from it as fast as you can!  If anyone knows that it should be you.  But, not only did the Holy Spirit testify to Paul and constrain him to hasten there, but it bids us today to ask “WHY?”.  How in the world can a man of God hasten to a place where imprisonment and afflictions await him?  LORD, how can I joyfully pour myself out in a place that is sucking the life out of me?  How am I supposed to find the wherewithal to love or forgive someone who so consistently mistreats me?

I think we find Paul’s fuel in the next verse.  You see, Paul possessed a completely counter-cultural idea of what his life was about.  He wasn’t compelled to run from affliction if the LORD said “Go” because his life wasn’t about comfort.  He didn’t need to worry about what others would think about him heading into persecution because he didn’t live for the favor of the masses.  There was ONE thing and one thing alone that freed him to hasten into harm:

24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

How about you?  What is your life counting towards…what is your course?  Do you feel enabled by God’s grace, like Paul, to hasten into harm if he beckons you?  Let’s finish our courses to the glory of God and may the Lamb of God receive the reward of His suffering.price cialis 10mg