moving towards the end

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Here we see Paul at his most open as he feels his ministry and work are drawing to a close. He wants to make good time in his journey to Jerusalem, hoping to be there for Pentecost, but he also wants to pass on word to the communities he has worked in. As a compromise he asks the elders of Ephesus to meet him in port so he can see them without stopping his journey.

Paul has a real urge to explain himself, probably because so much of his life must have been spent facing opposition from all kinds of people, even from within the church. It must be hard to live like that, facing challenges from every side. I pray our community would be one where people always give each other the benefit of the doubt so everyone can feel at home. I think we do a good job of that.

Blessings,
Sam

Acts 20:12-21
13We went ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there; for he had made this arrangement, intending to go by land himself. 14When he met us in Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. 15We sailed from there, and on the following day we arrived opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos, and the day after that we came to Miletus. 16For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; he was eager to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

17From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. 18When they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. 20I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus.