May we trust when we see God's protection and when we don't see it.

Once again the Jews went after Paul.  The brought him to be tried saying Paul was persuading men to worship God CONTRARY to the law. Paul was all set, ready to open his mouth in his own defense yet before he could the governing power, deputy Gallio, spoke up, talking to the accusing Jews.  He told them outright, if Paul was doing something wrong or wickedly lewd then he would help them. However if it is just Paul and words, names and the Jewish law then it's is up to them to take care of it, he was NOT going to judge such things. And with that, he drove them out of the judgment seat.

Then the Greeks took the chief ruler of the synagogue and beat him up right there before the judgment seat, and the deputy Gallio didn't care at all.

Act 18:12  And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, 

Act 18:13  Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. 

Act 18:14  And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: 

Act 18:15  But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. 

Act 18:16  And he drave them from the judgment seat. 

Act 18:17  Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things. 

God was protecting Paul.  Does this mean God wasn't protecting him when he was beaten, stoned, imprisoned at other times? No. God sees the big pictures, we only see what's in our now and past, and even those are limited. If Paul is being used by God then there may only be certain ways to do so. Remember he was beaten and put in prison with Silas and then the jailer and his family were baptized, accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior.  If Paul hadn't been imprisoned and the events unfolded as they did, that family would not have known Jesus. Paul counted it JOY when he went through the fires of affliction all for Christ.  So, yes, God was protecting Paul during this because it was necessary to God's will. Paul didn't demand to speak up, he was prepared to speak but obviously he wasn't meant to at that time. Do we have to comprehend all the workings of God? No. We do have to trust Him though. And we may be called to go through some really awful stuff, and Satan wants us to blame God for the awful stuff telling us that if God really loved us he wouldn't allow the awful stuff, but that's not true.  The awful stuff is for reasons we may not comprehend in any way, but it is there and we must TRUST.  Faith is NOT comprehending but believing regardless.

May we trust when we see God's protection and when we don't see it.

All through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR, now and forever!!!!!!!