One night while Paul was in Corinth, the Lord said to him in a vision , "Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you. No one will attack and harm you, for I have many people in this city." He settled there for a year and a half and taught the word of God among them. But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him to the tribunal, saying, "This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the law." When Paul was about to reply, Gallio spoke to the Jews, "If it were a matter of some crime or malicious fraud, I should with reason hear the complaint of you Jews; but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and titles and your own law, see to it yourselves. I do not wish to be a judge of such matters." And he drove them away from the tribunal. They all seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official, and beat him in full view of the tribunal. But none of this was of concern to Gallio. Paul remained for quite some time, and after saying farewell to the brothers he sailed for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut because he had taken a vow.

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

—Ecclesiastes 11:5

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

"I don't know!" This sure seems to be one of the hardest phrases for us to say. When thinking about God and his ways, especially his work on us and plans for us made when we were in the womb, that's really all we can say. "I don't know!" The truths we know about God and his ways with us when we were in the womb are only what he has chosen to reveal to us. He is the Mystery of mysteries. He is the supreme unknowable Knowable. Yet what we do know of him, what he has revealed to us in Jesus, is not only mighty and awesome, but loving, tender, and merciful. We know his love is willing to sacrifice for us, so we could seek after him and find his grace. So in reverence, we kneel to pray to the Father we cannot fully know - at least not yet, but will one day (1 John 3:1-3) - but can be fully assured that he loves us and wants us near to him.

Video Commentary...

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My Prayer...

To you, O LORD God, I offer my wonder and awe. When I consider the vastness of the universe in which our tiny blue planet spins through its existence, I am humbled by your wonderfully complex and expansive sovereignty, often expressed in tender mercy. As I ponder your greatness, dear Abba Father, I also treasure your nearness. You are the good Father who transcends space and time, yet you also are the almighty God who is ever near. Thank you for being accessible while being sovereign, available while not controllable. I thank you and praise you in the name of Jesus as I draw near to experience you more fully. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

—Proverbs 13:3

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Ⓒ 1996-2026 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent.

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

—Psalm 62:5-7

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Ⓒ 1996-2026 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent.

Many of [Jesus'] disciples said, "This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?"

Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again?"

—John 6:60-62 NLT

Key Thought

"Make it easy for them!" That seems to be the slogan today. "Don't set the bar too high!" "Don't make it difficult!" Unfortunately, the best things in life and the truest things in life are sometimes the hardest to acquire and to achieve. Quite often, the truest things in life are the hardest to discern. If we make them easy, then we make them less than what they are. Jesus didn't make following him easy for the disciples. Instead, he made it even more challenging. He made sure those seeking him knew the stakes involved; so for that reason, he refused to water down the challenge to them. While I want people to come to Jesus and receive his grace that has been so freely offered, I surely don't want to rob his message of its bite, of its power, or of its demands. Jesus calls us to follow a road that sometimes may be tough, but it leads to a wonderful place of glory and grace. Don't let his challenging words put you off. He is the only way.

Today's Prayer

Give me the heart to follow only you and your true messengers, O LORD. Please don't let me be deceived by those who are false or misled by those who don't know the way. Give me discernment so that I know your will more completely and follow you more passionately. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

• 2 Peter 3:15-16
• Matthew 7:15-21
• Luke 13:22-24

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Ⓒ 1996-2026 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.