Be of Good Cheer

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

BE OF GOOD CHEER

Acts 23:11

11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome." 

NIV

Following this dispute between the Pharisees and Sadducees that became extremely violent over a statement Paul made about believing in the resurrection, the commander had him brought into the barracks. This is where we find Paul and that night, which was stated as the following night, which was the night that followed the day of the dispute. It is interesting the Lord stood near Paul. The Greek with does imply to stand near, to be present, at a place. This certainly means that somehow the Lord was present in the barracks, standing there in the presence of Paul. What an experience Paul must have had to stand face to face with the Lord. We do wonder if Paul was standing, or because of the presence of Jesus, Paul fell down prostrate before him. We would certainly think that if Jesus showed up in the room we were, doing whatever we were doing, we would indeed fall face down on the floor. How could anyone be as so bold to stand in the presence of Jesus? However, Jesus did stand near to Paul, and we are not told that Paul said anything. Again, how could we say anything at all while we fell face down on the floor if Jesus just showed up and stood near us? On the other hand, if a long-lost friend showed up we would stand and embrace them, but we would think that we would not dare to embrace Jesus, although he might embrace us. What Jesus tells Paul is direct, but also filled with grace and truth. “Take courage” are words that speak to all of us. For Paul, it was that he was going to finally get to Rome and that he would be able to testify about Jesus. We will get to all the travels and testimony of Paul before Fetus, then Agrippa, and finally among those in Rome, but first, those words of Jesus encourage us. We should all take courage. It is interesting all the other places this Greek word translated as courage here, is translated as be of good cheer. Although the meaning to take courage and to be of good cheer could mean the same of at least very similar. Nevertheless, although the Lord has not stood right in front of us, we do have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us and he does lead us into all truth, which would say to us that we are to be of good cheer, that we are to take courage in this life. We cannot walk around with a down cast countenance, moaning and groaning about either our infirmities or our circumstances in this life. If anyone could have been downcast, it would have been Paul. The Jews were trying to kill him. He had been beaten, flogged in more than one occasion, run out of town at other times, and generally hated by many. However, there were also many who loved him and he was endeared and revered. Yet in his current situation, he must have been a little down, for Jesus saw his situation and came to encourage Paul. We can be sure that whenever we might get a little down because of our situation in life, or because of physical pain, we can be sure the Spirit is there to lift us up, to encourage us, to tell of to be of good cheer.