What is your greatest fear? Just between us: are you afraid to die? Years ago, I was supposed to fly in a private plane out of Austin to a mission point. My pilot, Bert Lindley, was a godly man and a fine pilot. Though I had ridden with him before, I had some concerns about flying that day. Something didn’t feel right. When I shared this with him, he said, “I don’t think we should fly today.” We did not. To this day, I don’t know if my feelings were from the Lord.
As Paul drew closer to Jerusalem, everyone told him not to go. At Tyre, “through the Spirit, they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.” Agabus, a prophet in Ptolemais, also spoke for the Holy Spirit warning Paul not to go. Others pleaded with him also. When they could not dissuade him, they said, “The Lord’s will be done.” If the Spirit was warning Paul, why did he still go up to Jerusalem? He would have been safe taking a nice vacation to the Greek Isles.
Paul went onward because he had already died. As he had explained to the Galatian Christians, he had been, “crucified with Christ.” At Ptolemais, Paul told those who pleaded with him, “I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of Jesus Christ.” Long before, Paul had surrendered his life as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Paul feared something more than death. Above all, he did not want to displease the Lord.
For believers, there are worse things than death. When we are absent from the body, we will be present with the Lord which is “better by far” (Philippians 1:23). Years ago, on my way home from working at McDonald's, I heard a preacher whose name I never learned, say these words, “I don’t want to grieve the Lord. He has been too good to me”.
We are not called to be foolish. Our lives are still valuable. On the other hand, the world cannot take away our life in Christ. Ponder carefully: is physical safety more important than doing God’s will? Have we given our whole lives to Christ? No need to fear.
