Slices
Prepare
Ask God to speak to you through today’s verses. Tell him you want to be open to the Word, the healing, the probing, the consolation, the guidance – whatever you need. And ask for grace to accept it.
Bible passage
In Corinth
18 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’
7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshipper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptised.
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’ 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
12 While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. 13 ‘This man,’ they charged, ‘is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.’
14 Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, ‘If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanour or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15 But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law – settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.’ 16 So he drove them off. 17 Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.
Explore
Do you find it difficult to know God’s guidance? Or find it comes at the last minute? Or worry that you’ll miss God’s plans? It’s interesting how the Lord guided Paul here – what he needed, when he needed it, often at the very last minute! I used to think that God has a Plan A for my life – the ‘right’ job, house, spouse and so on. While I do believe he is interested in the minutiae of my life, I now believe that his main plan is a deep, lasting relationship with him. Everything else is secondary.
Corinth was a thriving port at the centre of world trade, known for its debauchery and for the huge temple of Aphrodite. Did Paul intend his usual plan – preach in the synagogue, make a few converts and then move on? He had to wait for the others (v 5) but then the usual pattern emerges, leading to opposition. Did he then want to depart? Travelling gets into the blood! But Paul has another vision, not to move on this time (Acts 16:9), but to stay put. I wonder how easy he found that.
Respond
Pray: ‘Lord, help me to be willing to ask for and wait for your guidance. And then to take it! Amen.’
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Proverbs 31; Psalm 94
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for the editors of Scripture Union’s Bible reading guides, Sally Nash and Sally Nelson, and for all the writers as they seek to help the readers explore God’s Word. Pray that they may be led by God as they seek to apply the truths of the Bible to life in the 21st century.
