Lift up your head.

Last week I read something about the Apostle Paul that struck a cord in my spirit. Here is the idea: When Paul was being troubled by the Jewish leadership of his day, God told Paul not to be troubled, and that He, (God) was going to get Paul to Rome. In the following days, weeks and years, Paul went through some very incredible events. He stood trial before Felix, Festus and Agrippa; they were men of Roman rulership. He was not afraid; he was going to Rome. After standing trial before King Agrippa, he was sent off to Rome under a Roman guard. On the trip to Rome, there was some tremendous storms. Paul was not afraid, God told him that he was going to Rome. One of the storms got so bad that some of the officers were talking about killing all of the prisoners so that they couldn't escape. Paul was not alarmed, he was going to Rome. Before that storm was over the ship they were on busted apart but Paul was not alarmed, he was going to Rome. The island that they were all able to reach safely had some kind natives that built a fire for the crew and prisoners. While Paul was putting some wood on the fire and viper came out of the wood and attached itself to Paul, he shook it off as if it were a harmless insect. He was not afraid, it was a fact that he was going to Rome.

Now for you and me who are trusting God to forgive us our sins because we believe that Jesus paid the price for our offenses against God; we are told in Ephesians chapter two that we are, "seated with Christ in the heavenlies." When I look around me, it doesn't look like heaven to me. But then I realize that God has put in a reservation with our name on it. So like Paul we know that the path before us may take some turns, some up and downs, but in the end we know where we are headed.

As Paul kept his focus on Rome, keep your focus on home. Whatever trouble gets in your path, endure, keep the faith, you know where you are going.