Paul and Barbabas set out on their first missionary journey. Then we read this: “They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God” (Acts 13:6-7).
Did you catch that? At a place where the Gospel had never been spoken, where no missionaries had ever visited, a man “wanted to hear the word of God.”
Clearly, God was at work before Paul knew it. Before he showed up on the island of Paphos, God showed up on the island of Paphos. God is at work before we see the whole picture.
How God works behind the scenes. At my grandson’s recent baby dedication, I thought about all the things that had to happen for me to be there that day.
Because my brother went to Houston Baptist University, he met Dr. Wofford. Because he met Dr. Wofford, this New Testament scholar called our home one day, looking for my brother. Because me brother was out, I took that call. Because I took that call, I talked to Dr. Wofford. Because I talked to Dr. Wofford, I was drawn to HBU. Because I went to HBU, I met a student named Nancy. Because I met Nancy, I met her brother David. Because I met David, I found out about his church’s need for a student pastor. Because I went to that church as student pastor, I met Beth, who whom I would marry three years later. Because I married Beth, we had a son. And because our son married the perfect wife, we now have the perfect grandson.
Recovery Step: Never define the movement of God by what you can see.
